Contrast: BLUE
by ShadowIvy20X6
Summary: CH.24 UP! What began as Kaiba's little game with Jounouchi leads to a lot more than expected. With their lives constantly intertwining, nearly anything is inevitable, including the risk of death and the imminence of love. JouKai in later chapters.
1. Default Chapter

CONTRAST: BLUE  
  
DAS DISCLAIMER: I do not own Seto Kaiba, Katsuya Jounouchi, and all them other YGO characters featured in this here work of fiction! This work contains strong language, violence, use of tobacco and alcohol, an eventual hooking up of Jounouchi and Kaiba which may lead to sexual situations of some sorts, and a Cyber Disco King (it will make sense later!), and is therefore rated 'R'.  
  
This is a fiction that is an AU (Alternate Universe) from the YGO universe! In fact, this is practically like its own universe, which means the YGO Canon Nazis will rip this fic apart. So if you are the type that will tear up fics for not being faithful to canon, it's best that you roll on out now. Yes, this fan fiction does lead to a relationship between two male characters, but if you're expecting them to be doing the nasty by the second chapter, you're gonna hate this fic. See, I believe in a thing called "development", and I'd like for it to develop at a nice and steady pace, and not at the rate Mai Kujaku's tits did. Also, if you are looking for rape of any kind in this work, please move your keyboard aside and slam your head into your desk repeatedly. And finally, if you're looking for anyone named Yugi, Bakura, and Malik in this fic, you will be sorely disappointed. They will not be in this fic at all since they have no real reason to be in this AU. And there are no Millennium Items, and Duel Monsters are so insignificant that they are not at any given point made a focus of this story. Given all that, it is entirely up to you to continue reading from this point on. I hope those that choose to read this will enjoy this fic immensely.  
  
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PART ONE: BAD GUY  
  
CHAPTER ONE: Black Leather and Blue Eyes  
  
"So, how did it start?" A sultry feminine voice inquired.  
  
"What do you mean how did it start? I was just doing my thing, and that was handing ass for money," a rather gruff voice answered. He took a drag on his cigarette, and slowly sat up. He didn't seem to mind much the errant strands of dyed dirty-blond hair that was ever-hanging in his face, caging his amber eyes.  
  
"You know what I mean." The woman's juicy violet lips formed a slight smirk.  
  
"Right, right...you know how I can be." He sighed. "Two nights ago, right? I had just taken care of my sixth match for that night. I was collectin' my winnings, when I hear this voice calling out 'You got enough left in you for a seventh match?' Now, I'm thinkin' 'Who in the hell is callin' me out?' I figure it was some shit Kobushi's tryin' to pull or somethin'...but he looked even more clueless as usual." He paused to take another drag.  
  
"You shoulda seen this guy. He was tall. Really fucking tall...he was covered in black leather from head to toe, though his top was zipped down enough to show off his chest—I didn't know guys could get 'em as big as yours. Anyway, he was wearing these blue-tinted shades and had really blond hair—was almost platinum. But he was definitely not fighting material; this guy was really skinny. If it weren't for his deep voice and freakish height, I'd have almost sworn that he was a chick.  
  
"So I give him a look, and my boys are just tryin' so hard not to bust their asses laughing that this fuck would try to challenge 'Steel Brawler' Jounouchi. Actually, I nearly busted my ass laughing...so I approach this guy, still shaking my head, and I tell him that I could take him in one blow. He just smiles—goddamn, he was REALLY fucking tall—and says 'Not with the way you fight, you won't'. I just glare at this guy as my boys are laughing at that remark. I figure 'Okay, so he got one over on ol' Jounouchi. I bet he'll find this punch funny.' So I just fuckin' go for it." He flicked his ashes into the astray.  
  
"My fist can fly fast—I mean, you've seen what it can do. I was aiming for his gut. The force from that punch alone would have taken the fight out of him—and maybe some organs, heh. So I punched him in his gut—or I thought I did, but he's still smiling at me! I look at where my fist is, and his bondy-ass hand is holding that fist like he had seen that punch coming! Before I could even make sense of anythin', he flips me over, and I'm on the ground. Then he places his foot right onto me, and just looks down at me, being all 'That was pitiful. Even if my wrists were sprained, I could have easily stopped you.'  
  
"So now, I'm just ready to throw down. I roll out and spring up to my feet, my fists ready for action. He just looks at me, and folds his arms like some jackass, and says 'So, how else will you fail to amuse me?' So I've really decided to just let him have it. I just throw out punches, hoping that one of them will land on his face. The son of a bitch dodged each and every single one of them, and I stupidly tried to use my turn punch. He sidestepped me, grabbed my arm and put it in an armlock, ready to break! And his grip was like fuckin' tight—and I don't mean tight for someone who looked as weak as he did. So I'm already planning my phone call to the E.R., when he just throws me to the ground. What he said next was more humiliating than a broken arm coulda been."  
  
"Should I even ask?"  
  
Jounouchi took a final drag of his cigarette before snuffing it out in the ashtray.  
  
"He said 'You low-tier scrub, next time you want to harp on about how good you are, make sure you really are just that--good. I'll put you down if you ever bullshit about your skills again.' That REALLY pissed me off! It's like he singled me out, like he knew who I was, but I don't even know who the hell he is! Man, what I wouldn't give to be able to have a rematch with that bastard."  
  
The woman shook her head. "I must agree that he has a serious ego problem. Besides, he likely wouldn't have been able to defeat you so easily if he were your first challenge."  
  
Jounouchi smirked. "Yeah. Yeah, you're right. I'm gonna find him." He quickly rose to his feet.  
  
The woman did not appear surprised as she flicked her bouncing golden curls over her shoulder. "Just don't get yourself killed."  
  
Jounouchi grabbed his green leather jacket as he turned and smirked at the woman. "Hey, if I get really badly hurt, you'll take care of me, right?"  
  
The woman chuckled. "Bastard. Get on home now; it's a school night."  
  
It had been so easy.  
  
The dark figure smirked to himself as he leapt from the high-wall to the nearest tree branch. He barely managed to maintain his landing—perhaps his choice in footwear needed work—but he managed to grab hold of the trunk. He glanced down to make sure that security hadn't noticed, not that they did, but it was always better to be safe than sorry. The surveillance system was not even a matter of worry for him, as he was easily able to take care of the surveillance in advance before venturing out. As soon as the guard was well out of sight and out of earshot, he leapt across to the nearest tree, maintaining a much better landing than the last, but not by much. He cursed at his boots before he quickly scanned the premises.  
  
He leapt for the final time that night, his hands grabbing the iron railing of the balcony. He took a deep breath; fatigue was rushing over him and fast. He lifted himself over the balcony though the signs of physical exertion were clearly evident by the way his arms shook with the weight being placed on them, as well as the contortions on his face.  
  
This was only in a matter of seconds. He leaned back against the window to catch his breath, asking himself was it worth all of this trouble, just to venture out into the night for the sake of "fun"?  
  
He instantly leapt to his feet, and slowly opened the window. He glanced around, why; he wasn't sure. The same reason he checked around for security outside, he supposed. A convenient breeze blew through the window, clearing the curtains from his path as he gracefully stepped inside. He turned around and closed the windows, not even bothering to lock them. He slowly removed the tinted glasses, revealing a pair of intense blue eyes, and placed the glasses onto the nightstand. He then slowly made his way to the dresser. His right hand reached for his blond hair, and he pulled the hair back and away, revealing the true hair beneath: a darker colour, definitely brown but obscured due to the darkness, appearing rather mussed due to the hastiness when he removed the golden wig. Finally, he made his way towards his king-sized bed, falling upon it almost immediately upon coming up to it. Despite his sudden energy loss, he managed a smile.  
  
His plan was succeeding quite nicely.  
  
"Thank you very much, Mr. Hiroto."  
  
"Aw, it was nothing, Miss Miho."  
  
The usual morning good deed of Hiroto Honda carrying the books for one Miho Nosaka awoke Jounouchi from his pre-class nap. The spiky-haired youth wore a smile of self-satisfaction as he entered the classroom and approached Jounouchi. Like Jounouchi, he wore his school uniform top unbuttoned, but whereas Jounouchi wore his wife beater underneath, Honda wore the school- standard white-button down shirt.  
  
Jounouchi yawned. "You ask her out?"  
  
His friend's face turned to a shade of red.  
  
Jounouchi sneered. "That's it. After school, we're gonna shop for some balls for you, man."  
  
"Fuck you, man...I'm just waiting for the right time." Honda grabbed a chair and sat in it with the backrest facing his chest.  
  
"By the time you get to the 'right time', she's gonna be expectin' her second kid!"  
  
"You know Jounouchi, appreciating a woman for who she is and not for who she's doing isn't such a bad feeling."  
  
Jounouchi snorted. "Such a chivalrous thing to say, comin' from the man who has a copy of 'Bikini Bitches Monthly' in his desk." He held up a magazine, which depicted a woman in a bikini eating a banana on the cover.  
  
Honda sneered. "Look man, I'm just saying: She's the one."  
  
Jounouchi raised a thick brow as he continued to thumb the magazine. "Honda, you remember eighth grade?"  
  
"Oh Christ, not this again—"  
  
"'Oh man, Jounouchi! I have met the girl I'm gonna marry, man! Yumi Wakamoto, man! She's just the sweetest, kindest, and most beautiful—'"  
  
Honda put Jounouchi into a headlock. "Knock that shit off, man! That was eighth grade; I'm over her!"  
  
"Yeah, only because she gave head to half of the baseball team!"  
  
"Oh, now you're dead!"  
  
The boys were so involved in their antics that they were only interrupted when a feminine hand swiping the magazine from Jounouchi's free hand. The boys instantly glanced over at the third person, and frowned.  
  
The girl was fairly tall and slender. Her cherry-red dyed hair barely went past the nape of her neck and her bangs were perfectly curled above her brow. Her eyes, otherwise honey-brown, were under the guise of deep blue contact lenses. Although the superficial enhancements could easily bunch her with the prissy and shallow girls of Domino, Anzu Mazaki was perhaps one of the most real people at Domino High school.  
  
Jounouchi hated that sometimes.  
  
She puckered her glossed lips. "Hrm, such a high-brow magazine you have here, boys...at least most of them can manage keep their tops on in this one!"  
  
Okay, often times.  
  
"Mazaki, I'm not in the mood to put up with you today."  
  
"Then that makes two of us. We got a new student today."  
  
"Damn, again?" Honda yawned. "Last month we got a new one...Otogi, wasn't it?"  
  
"Yeah; you wanna talk about a womanizer...at least we're just peeking porn!" Jounouchi exclaimed as he snatched the magazine from Anzu.  
  
"YOU are peeking porn. I've got my own priorities now," Honda retorted.  
  
"Still pursuing Miho, huh?" Anzu raised a brow. "Have you asked her out?"  
  
"No, no, NO!! I have not," Honda answered with a frustrated groan.  
  
Anzu sighed. "Honda, whenever you take a shower and look down, do you notice if your balls are still there?" Jounouchi burst out laughing.  
  
Honda nodded as he sucked in a breath. "You both suck. A guy can't be decent anymore..." He threw his hands into the air as the bell rang.  
  
"That's the warning bell," Anzu stated as she hurried to her seat. Jounouchi leaned forward into his seat and slouched as students took their seats. What conversations took place was interrupted by the clicking sounds of a pair of high heels.  
  
Miss Nami Chono had entered the classroom.  
  
Although several of the teachers in Domino High School were disliked and taken lightly by the mass majority of the students, few actually dared to even cross Miss Chono. Her excessively heavy makeup, false strawberry- blonde hair, and miniskirt made male students and even teachers fall head- over-heels for her false beauty. While she appeared pleasant, it was not until a student had the "privilege" of being in her class did they see her for who she truly was.  
  
Although her teaching ability was mediocre at best, her disciplinary ability was feared throughout most of the school as she was the most ruthless Domino had ever seen. She would hand students detentions in the blink of an eye for any reason she felt like giving (but preferred expulsions much more), she would purposely hand out extra assignments to the class if one student upset her enough, she would confiscate anything and everything—and often kept them for herself, and it was not uncommon for students to try to change schools when they learned that they would be in Chono's class. Chono absolutely reveled in the fact that she was feared, and knew that no student would dare defy her. Until today.  
  
"Let's settle down class," she sang in that falsely friendly tone. She smirked, but not so much as to crack her makeup. "Today, we have a new student in our class." She ignored the groans of "Again?" and "They just keep sending them here..." as she wrote the new student's name on the chalkboard. "Please introduce your...self."  
  
For the first time that he could recall, Jounouchi could clearly see the shocked look on the woman's face; he could also see that the students were awestruck by their latest addition. Jounouchi too decided to take a look.  
  
There was certainly something awe-inspiring about the new student. For starters, he was unusually tall for someone of his nationality; it certainly didn't help that he stood like he had something to be proud of. The only thing more unusual about his height was his intense blue eyes; they looked as though they could gaze into a person's soul. His cinnamon hair was short in the back though there were several errant strands that stuck out, and the right side of his face was decorated with long strands of hair that rested on his chin. The bangs on the left side of his face were brushed behind his ear, which bore a blue stud.  
  
But it wasn't his physical features that were the most outstanding. It was his clothing. While he wore the blue school uniform, he clearly had taken liberties with it. The blue top, although unbuttoned, had been shortened at the midriff, and at the end of the top was a leather strip with buckles resting at his sides. And although he wore the mandatory (the exception being Jounouchi, of course) button-down shirt it wasn't the fact that it was not tucked in that was controversial, it was the fact that it was a black shirt and not a white shirt that raised a fuss; it didn't help that it was so far unbuttoned that it gave exposure to his impressively-sized chest. Across his hips hung a belt with a buckle, adorning it like a decoration. The silver buckle of the belt bore two engraved words, "Bad Guy". He carried with him a large, titanium briefcase rather than the smaller, leather briefcases all of the other students carried.  
  
Chono regained her composure. "That uniform is NOT school standard!" She exclaimed as she pointed her usual witchy finger at the distracting student.  
  
The student raised a brow. "Neither is your teaching, from what I've heard."  
  
Chono gasped; who the hell did he think he was? The students were trying their best to stifle their laughter, especially Jounouchi and Honda.  
  
"Take your seat next to Mr. Honda. Raise your hand so he may find you, Mr. Honda." Honda raised his hand as instructed, though when Ms. Chono turned around to reach her lesson plan Honda held down every finger except for the middle one.  
  
The audacious new student casually strode to his desk, setting his metallic briefcase onto the ground, taking his seat, and immediately immersing himself into his book. Jounouchi's eyes kept watch on the boy, not leaving his form save for a scant glance at the blackboard to catch his name:  
  
Hirano Seto.  
  
THE RAMBLINGS OF THE WRITER AS FOLLOWS: Well, if you're reading this, then that must mean that you were able to stomach this fic enough to read the first chapter completely! :D But seriously, many thanks. I know some of you are groaning at the fact that Kaiba is an ass-kicker, but let me assure you that there will be an explanation for it, and it's not "He studied martial arts"! Oh, and I bet you're ready to type up an e-mail saying "His name is Seto KAIBA, not Seto HIRANO!!!11!"Just keep on reading the fic and you'll understand why his last name is different (and if you can guess what game character I lifted his last name from, you get toast!)! Anyway, I hope y'all enjoyed the first chapter. If you're interested in more Contrast goodness, be sure to check out the artworks at my site (check my profile). PEACE!! 


	2. Zippo Lighter

CHAPTER TWO: Zippo Lighter Bastard  
  
"Hirano Seto..." drawled Jounouchi as he flicked the lid of his Zippo lighter open. "Somethin' about that kid I don't like."  
  
"Aw, you say that about every new face," Honda replied.  
  
"I give him a week," Anzu whispered as she took a sip from her bottle of water.  
  
"Before she makes him scrub her floors?" Jounouchi inquired as he flicked the lighter's lid shut.  
  
"And leave you without an after-school job? His ass is gonna be done." Honda glanced around the room as Jounouchi gave him the finger.  
  
"Well, let's be careful now. The handsome devil IS sitting right there." Anzu pointed.  
  
Jounouchi shot a puzzled look at Anzu for stating that Seto was "handsome", but was once against distracted by Seto. He was engrossed in the same book he had brought with him to class, completely oblivious to a moderately sized group of girls that were observing him, whispering and giggling amongst themselves.  
  
"Either he's a homo or that is the world's best damn book," Honda concluded.  
  
"Well queer or not, he's at least givin' Otogi a run for his money; look at all them girls just watchin' him," Jounouchi stated. It wasn't even seconds after he said that before he felt the impact of a die smack him in the head.  
  
Jounouchi whirled around, appearing to be quite angry. The aforementioned Otogi Ryuji was definitely more of a "pretty boy" than handsome, but he was undoubtedly attractive. He wore his long jet-black hair in a ponytail, with several of his ebon curls hanging over his face. Had it not been for his crimson headband his hair would have overwhelmed his bright green eyes. Otogi folded his arms, an almost bored expression on his face.  
  
"Dickweed, you weren't supposed to hear that!" Jounouchi exclaimed through clenched teeth.  
  
Otogi smirked. "I bet people tell you your voice carries. And besides, as far as my fangirls are concerned, once they realize that he's not interested in them they'll all come running back to me." He twirled one of his jet black strands of hair between his index finger and thumb.  
  
"You sound so sure of yourself," Anzu stated. She glanced at Seto. "Seriously, how can he not notice that the girls are just staring at him?"  
  
"Because I'm very well-focused," Seto suddenly replied. The quartet jumped the instant he spoke.  
  
"Jesus Christ, you mean you were listening in?" Jounouchi demanded.  
  
"It's rather difficult not to with the volume of your bark, puppy," Seto stated bluntly.  
  
"Puppy?!" Jounouchi was already cracking his knuckles.  
  
"See; I told you your voice carried," Otogi jested.  
  
"Looks like we have to get ready to restrain Jounouchi," Anzu sighed. "Again."  
  
"I'm sure you two can handle that," Otogi declared as he strutted out of the classroom. The girls, though tempted to see what the new boy was capable of against Jounouchi, decided it was best to stay out of the way, and followed Otogi out of the classroom.  
  
Seto smirked as he closed his book. "As much as I would like to see the puppy at his most aggressive, I have better things to do." He arose and instantly began walking, his head held high and expression smug. Those intense blue eyes took a glance at Jounouchi.  
  
Seto stopped, and stepped back three paces.  
  
The intense blue eyes met with the aggressive amber eyes.  
  
"What," growled Jounouchi, "in the hell are you staring at?"  
  
Seto gave a slight smirk, and held up his hand. The object was small and metallic bearing the word "Zippo". "I am borrowing this," Seto stated. "As amusing as it would be to watch you sniff around for this because I failed to inform you of my taking it, it is simply more convenient for the both of us if I simply informed you." He turned and walked away once more, using the lighter's reflective surface to give him a view of Jounouchi's enraged expression.  
  
"You bastard, how in the hell did you get that?!" Jounouchi was ready to leap upon the lithe teen, had it not been for the combined restraining forces of Honda and Anzu.  
  
"He said he was borrowing it; it's not even worth fighting over!" Anzu exclaimed.  
  
"You can just get another one anyway, man!" Honda added. "Hell; I'll buy you one!"  
  
Their words were best left spoken to a concrete wall, for Jounouchi continued to struggle in hopes of breaking free so he could catch up to that bastard Seto and make him really sorry for the remarks he made about him, and especially for taking his lighter.  
  
It took some effort, but Jounouchi managed to break the hold that Anzu and Honda had him in, causing Anzu to fall flat on her bottom and Honda to stumble backwards and nearly tripping over a chair. Jounouchi instantly dashed out of the classroom, his hand grabbing hold of the doorjamb as he turned to prevent slipping.  
  
Students and doors appeared to be nothing more than a blur as Jounouchi tore through the hallways of the school. If the hall monitors or teachers were yelling at him, he certainly didn't hear them. All of his attention, all of his focus, was on the tall lithe boy named—  
  
"Seto!" Jounouchi screamed; his fist was raised to strike his target down. The boy who answered to the name glanced over his shoulder before deftly sidestepping the oncoming strike. Jounouchi rushed past Seto, cursing aloud that he missed and rapidly turned on his heel, instantly raising his fists in a ready stance.  
  
Seto only responded with an indifferent stare.  
  
"I'm not gonna let you get away with this!" Jounouchi exclaimed. A group of students suddenly surrounded the pair; a fight in Domino High was about as common as a cold.  
  
Seto continued to stare.  
  
"You not gonna say anything?"  
  
Seto still stared.  
  
"Fine...you can talk when you tell the medics how I messed you up!" Jounouchi immediately lounged at Seto, his left fist prepared for an incoming hook punch.  
  
Seto leaned forward. As he ducked, Seto's left arm hooked onto the inner bend on Jounouchi's arm, interrupting Jounouchi's attack and twirling him in a counter-clockwise direction. Seto's left arm had a hold on Jounouchi's left in an arm lock; Seto placed his right hand on the blond's wrist to ensure that the arm stayed in its place. Jounouchi was stunned; not by the maneuver that was used against him, but by the rate of speed in which Seto moved to get Jounouchi into such a position in the first place.  
  
The surrounding students would have normally cheered, but the unexpected and turn of events had them speaking in a tone no louder than a whisper. However, it was Seto's arrogant and commanding voice that spoke volumes:  
  
"If you want us to be "friends", you will never address me by my name again. Is that understood?"  
  
"Whatever ya say, ya bastard. Can I call ya 'Bastard'?" Jounouchi snarled as he struggled.  
  
"You can call me whatever you like, but if you dare call me by my name, especially like that ever again..." Seto leaned in close to Jounouchi's ear as he loosened his grip on the blond's arm, "I need no more than forty-five degrees of movement in order to dislocate your arm." He immediately released his hold on Jounouchi's arm, turned on his heel and slowly retreated.  
  
Jounouchi held his arm. Seto's grip was surprisingly strong—despite the fact that he was lanky and appeared almost sickly.  
  
In fact, that grip, no; those very maneuvers! They felt very familiar to him...he had experienced a grip and arm lock not unlike the one Seto just used on him. Could it be that Seto...?  
  
"By the way, I won't be returning your lighter to you just yet. Thanks to your pitiful attempt at an ambush, I missed my chance for a smoke," Seto called.  
  
At that time, Anzu and Honda rushed to Jounouchi.  
  
"Jesus Christ, why did you have to try to take him on?" Honda demanded as he took hold of Jounouchi's arm.  
  
"Honestly, if you were going to fight him, you could have waited until you were more focused. It's no wonder he was able to take advantage of you like he did," Anzu scolded.  
  
Seto stopped walking the instant Anzu said "take advantage of you". Back still facing the trio, he taunted: "She's absolutely right, puppy. If you knew what you were doing, you wouldn't have been so easily defeated."  
  
"Shut the fuck up and keep your skinny ass walkin', Hirano!" Honda warned. Seto simply sighed, rolled his eyes and continued to walk away from the scene. Honda had sneered, and returned his attention to his fallen friend.  
  
Anzu scowled at Seto's retreating form before she too returned her attention to Jounouchi. "Jounouchi, come on. He's just being a bully...he's so not worth losing your cool over."  
  
"She's right, man. Look, we'll go out for hamburgers after school. My treat," Honda offered.  
  
Jounouchi suddenly arose to his feet, surprising some of the surrounding students. Anzu gave a worried glance to Honda, who also appeared concerned. They slowly rose to their feet, hoping in vain that Jounouchi would calm down.  
  
"I just need to be left alone," Jounouchi stated flatly. Before Anzu or Honda could protest, he immediately walked away. Honda looked away, scratching the back of his head. Anzu let out a frustrated sigh, and instantly turned her attention to the students, who still surrounded the area.  
  
"All of you! The show's over, so stop hanging around here and take your gossip elsewhere!" Anzu considered crowd control to be something of a talent of hers. However, she was as frustrated and angry for Jounouchi as she was at him, that she needed some way to vent.  
  
It wasn't good enough.  
  
____________________________________________________________  
  
Jounouchi decided that his mood was just too shitty to take Honda up on his offer for hamburgers. After what had happened to him earlier in the day, he was just far too pissed off to even warrant the wrath of Ms. Chono. He had trudged his way home, hands in his pockets and lips murmuring curses about the blue-eyed bastard that humiliated him in school today.  
  
If anyone had ever told Jounouchi "Cheer up. It could be worse", he would have smashed his fist into their face, because in Jounouchi's case things had a tendency to get worse on occasion. And in this such occasion, all he had to do in order to make that worse-case scenario happen was to unlock the door to his apartment and step inside.  
  
"Boy!" A gruff voice called.  
  
Jounouchi threw his briefcase onto the couch; he didn't bother to remove his sneakers as he stepped inside.  
  
"I'm talkin' to ya, boy!"  
  
Jounouchi simply leaned against the wall, hands remaining in his pockets as a glass beer bottle came crashing against the doorjamb. It had missed Jounouchi by two feet.  
  
"Your aim's improving, old man," Jounouchi taunted with a sneer.  
  
"Jes' get yer ass in here," the gruff voice slurred.  
  
Jounouchi used his foot to remove himself from the wall as he approached the kitchen. Sitting in the kitchen was a man who appeared much more rugged than Jounouchi was, and was certainly much older. His dark hair was a mess and he appeared as though he was in dire need of a shave. He wore mud-stained jeans, a dirty white tee, and a flannel top that was gray-and- blue once upon a time, but so much dirt and mud had accumulated on the flannel it appeared to be more of a dull brownish-gray. He was leaning back in the chair as his boot-clad feet rested upon the table, periodically knocking over emptied beer bottles and potato chip bags.  
  
"So? What do ya want?" Jounouchi's tone was more bored than annoyed.  
  
"Th' phone's off."  
  
Jounouchi's fists clenched. "I gave you the money I got from work to pay that off!"  
  
"I tol' YOU to pay th' damn bill, boy."  
  
Jounouchi rolled his eyes; did not need this. "No; you told me you were gonna take care of the bill!" He paused. "You spent it on beer, didn't you? God-dammit! Fuck! You said you were going to take care of the bill so I handed you money that my ass earned working, and...do I need to remind you how close we are to gettin' our asses booted outta this hole?"  
  
The man tried to stand on his feet, but in his current inebriated state he had stumbled and fell back into his seat.  
  
"Boy, I won' take this shit from you. I tol' yer ass to pay th' fuckin' bill. Wha'ever way I had spent th' money on is none 'yer fuckin' business, boy!"  
  
"It was MY hard-earned money, you drunken fuck! If it were yer own money, I wouldn't be sayin' shit about it, but dammit, dad! You know how many times we nearly got evicted?"  
  
"I won' argue wit' you on dis no more, boy. You either pay th' bill or haul yer ass out! Ain't got no time for good-for-nothin's tha' got no prior'ty."  
  
Jounouchi snarled, immediately leaving the kitchen for his room. Arguing with that man was always the perfect end to his perfect day, and few days came more perfect than today. He slammed the door shut, locking the two chain-locks and the lock on the doorknob, and fell onto his bed.  
  
His eyes focused at the ceiling, but they were staring at nothing in particular. He just needed to rest.  
  
More importantly, he needed to think things over.  
  
____________________________________________________________  
  
AND NOW, RANTS AND RAVES FROM THE WRITER: The alternate title of this chapter could easily have been "Jounouchi's Shitty Day!", but it simply wasn't stylish sounding to me! But seriously, future writers of Jounouchi angst take note: You don't have to have Jounouchi be beaten badly and raped by his dad just to get some angst out of him!  
  
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I would like to thank the following people (Because I forgot to in chapter 1): *Mayflower (or as I say it, "Mayflowah"): She's been real supportive of my works, and gave me the confidence to post this project in written form.  
  
*Elf: She's always been supporting my art things. Check her writings out, and you'll see why she's the Gothic Writer Goddess. *thumbs up*  
  
*Tekkenicus: He's been such a good friend of mine, and if it weren't for his wicked sense of humour, I have no idea where I'd be at right now.  
  
*Vinja-Ryou: Another awesome friend of mine; she's been there for me when I needed her most, and has been a major supporter for the Contrast Project.  
  
*The Thug Nation @ Dev Art: I'd like to thank all my Dev Art supporters for their support of the visual version of Contrast! Thanks a bunch for making this a success so far, y'all!  
  
*And of course you, dear reader, for taking the time to read this work. Your continued support will always be appreciated. 


	3. Smack Talk

CHAPTER THREE: Smack Talk  
  
"Hrm...too chunky...she's got no tits whatsoever...too pimply...too flaky- looking...the ladies of Class A are simply not suitable enough for me." Otogi shook his head disappointingly. "And what's worse, all of the decent ladies in class B are still fawning over that Seto Hitachi or whoever."  
  
"Hirano," Honda corrected. "Maybe if you weren't so shallow, you might actually appreciate a girl for who she is."  
  
Otogi glanced at Honda and arched a brow. "And you actually believe that?"  
  
Honda nodded. "Of course."  
  
Otogi puckered his lips for a moment then took a deep breath. "Bikini Bitches Mon—"  
  
"That bastard Jounouchi is a dead man," Honda interrupted as he cracked his knuckles.  
  
"What about Miho?" Otogi reminded.  
  
"Shit!" Honda instantly turned on his heel and began dashing towards the library. Otogi sighed, shook his head, and began to scope out the rest of the girls as they passed him by.  
  
At that moment, Jounouchi had entered the halls of Domino. His hands were tucked into his pockets as always, but his eyes remained focused on the linoleum floor rather than straight ahead, and his shoulders were noticeably lower. He trudged rather than walked, and the look on his face clearly showed that he was oblivious to the students' whisperings about his defeat at the hands of Seto Hirano.  
  
Otogi noticed the dirty blond, and immediately walked away. He ddin't know how to handle the type of situation Jounouchi was in, and he didn't know Jounouchi well enough anyway so he decided those were good enough excuses to not ask what was bothering him.  
  
Anzu too had noticed Jounouchi's more somber demeanor as he entered the classroom. Rather than make some sort of boisterous announcement, or sit in his chair and lean back, he slumped into the chair and instantly put his head down onto the desk. She hadn't bothered to ask Jounouchi what was bothering him, since she had made the assumption that it wasn't so much what was bothering him, so much as who it was.  
  
As if on cue, Seto strode into the classroom, his right hand clutching his book, his left clutching his metallic briefcase. His school uniform remained unlawful as ever, but by now, his third day at the school, Anzu had already become accustomed to seeing him wearing the controversial garment.  
  
She approached the boy as he was taking his seat. "Mr. Hirano?"  
  
He did not even so much as glance at the girl.  
  
Anzu kept her cool. "I know you're listening...this is about what happened yesterday with you and Jounouchi. I wasn't there, and I haven't asked—"  
  
"We may discuss the matter of the puppy a little later. I'm busy," Seto coolly interrupted.  
  
Anzu arched a brow. "His name is 'Joe-no-chee'; not 'puppy'. And if you can talk to me while reading that book, then you're not busy enough." She motioned to touch the book, but Seto's hand instantly whipped out, gently taking hold of her wrist.  
  
"As I said, I am busy. If you really think what you have to say is important, then you can speak to me at my office." Seto released his hold on her.  
  
"Excuse me...your...office?" Anzu was clearly puzzled.  
  
"It's behind the main building. I'm there during gym class. Now go away." He made a rather haphazard "shoo" motion with his hand, his eyes never leaving his book through the entire conversation.  
  
Anzu took a moment to shoot a glare at the insolent boy and was headed for her desk when she saw Honda enter the classroom, in which she then dashed up to him and began conversing with him about the current Jounouchi dilemma. Seto simply continued to read his book though for an instant, though his azure eyes took a moment to focus upon Jounouchi. He frowned. ____________________________________________________________  
  
If there was one thing about Domino High that Anzu was thankful for, it was the fact that the teachers and administrative staff trusted her enough that they didn't put her under much scrutiny like they did the more delinquent students like Jounouchi and Honda. She was certainly thanking this fact as she snuck out of the gymnasium to find Seto's "office".  
  
*Why would he have an office behind the school anyway?* She had asked herself as she approached the building. She suddenly realized that before she should turn the corner and enter this supposed "office", she should readjust her gym shorts as they were starting to bunch up at her rear, placing an unnecessary emphasis on her back end. She had hated those gym shorts and had a feeling that they gave her a pair that was one size too small on purpose. She wasn't sure why she should worry about this in front of him since he didn't seem to be interested in girls, or in anything that wasn't a book, anyway.  
  
She turned the corner of the building and was met by the smell of burning tobacco and cloves. She immediately noticed Seto Hirano. He was sitting down, back leaning against the building, his nose buried in that same book he had been reading since he had arrived at the school. His lips were wrapped around a black cigarette, thus solving the mystery of the burning tobacco and cloves.  
  
"So, you came after all," Seto stated.  
  
Anzu placed her hands on her hips. "Some office."  
  
"Yes; but this is only my third day here," Seto reminded.  
  
Anzu cocked a brow. "I can see that sincerity isn't your best attribute."  
  
"Said the pot to the kettle," Seto noted, closing his book shut. "Mazaki, perhaps you should get to the reason as to why you are here. This is about that puppy—"  
  
Anzu leaned forward. "Jounouchi."  
  
"Jooooeeee-noooo-cheeee." Seto smirked. "He's still upset over yesterday, isn't he? He really ought to get over that."  
  
Anzu snorted. "You know, he already has enough shit going on in his life that he doesn't need you to go stirring trouble."  
  
"Then he needs to get a better backbone. Life's a bitch, Mazaki—"  
  
"And you are the biggest bitch of them all, Hirano," Anzu finished. "You see; that was my reason for talking to you. Whatever problem you have with Jounouchi, you can take it to him. But I'm here to tell you that you are the worst bitch I ever met."  
  
Seto stared at her momentarily, before opening his book and placing most of his attention to it once more. "I've been called many things Mazaki, but I must admit that 'bitch' is new to me."  
  
Anzu had already begun to walk away, her hips slightly swinging as she walked. "Well maybe you should get accustomed to it, Hirano!"  
  
Seto simply shrugged her words off; he had been called many things before so being insulted directly to his face was nothing new, but being called a bitch certainly was. But it was simply another word for him, and such words were meaningless. He was, however, thankful that she didn't feed him a speech about friendship.  
  
He was barely starting on the thirteenth page he had been reading since arriving at his "office" when a shadow blocked his light.  
  
His eyes remained on the book. "Please remove yourself from my light at once."  
  
He heard the sound of someone sucking at their teeth. "I'll remove myself from your light when you remove that stick from yer ass."  
  
Seto half-smiled; he knew immediately who the voice belonged to. He looked up. "So you did recover from your little depression after all, Jounouchi." That venomous smirk was on his face once again.  
  
Jounouchi sneered at the mocking tone to which Seto took to his name. "What the hell are you talkin' about...I'm still feelin' rather shitty. I'm only here because I figured that the best thing to do was to confront you directly rather than sit on my ass and mope about it all day."  
  
Seto closed his book once again. "So the puppy isn't entirely stupid after all. Heh; and here I thought there was nothing that this snake pit of a school could teach me." He paused. "By the way, when you say 'confront', do you mean that you want me to hand you your ass again?"  
  
Jounouchi snorted. "Nice one, wise-ass. I just want to know why you've been singling me out since you got here."  
  
"Well, maybe it's because I find you loud. I don't like loud people," Kaiba dismissed.  
  
"That's a really shitty reason."  
  
Seto took a moment to take a rather long drag on his cigarette before returning his gaze to the blond. "You know something, don't you? I really have no tolerance for people that beat around the bush, so if you have something to say, say it."  
  
It was then that Jounouchi smiled. "Yeah; I know something alright. I know that you're not all who you seem to be, Hirano."  
  
Seto stared at Jounouchi rather blankly. "Is that all? You came here based on some hunch?" He paused. "If this is based on the fact that you're still upset because I handed you your ass yesterday, you're wasting your time."  
  
Jounouchi nodded. "Actually, it DOES have something to do with yesterday."  
  
Seto's azure eyes narrowed. Jounouchi's smile remained; that look almost seemed to trouble Seto. "I am gonna to tell you a little about myself, Hirano. I'm a fighter. I'm pretty damn good at it, especially when I'm really into it. And I make money doin' it 'cause it pays real well, especially when yer good at it. You see, I was working the other night, and someone called me out. He had a stature that was very similar to yours and he used the same arm-lock maneuver that you used on me. Okay, so maybe his voice was deeper and he was taller, but I think I'm onto something with all this."  
  
A hint of a scowl showed upon Seto's face upon hearing Jounouchi's testimony. He slowly rose to his feet, and stepped directly up to the blond, who was wearing a very smug expression.  
  
Seto took a final drag from his cigarette before flicking it onto the ground. "Jounouchi, you simply have too much free time on your hands. Given my attitude, it is not unusual for people to try to attack me. Yes; I studied Aikido, but simply for self-defense and not for show. I can safely assume that you carry out your little fights during the nighttime, correct?" He mercilessly crushed the dying cigarette with his boot.  
  
"...Yeah. We do our fights at night." Jounouchi's lips formed a line; he knew Seto was merely trying to turn this around on him.  
  
"Okay, then!" Seto exclaimed, a raised index finger directing Jounouchi to remain silent for a moment longer. "Then perhaps you were unable to get a good enough look at this person. Better yet, perhaps you have been so angry and surprised lately, that it's fucking with your better judgment...if you had a better judgment to begin with anyway. And, your contradiction about this person's height and voice renders your suspicious questionable, at best."  
  
Jounouchi threw his hands into the air. "Well I guess I give up, then. Shows what I know when it comes to followin' a hunch."  
  
Seto smirked, though the smirk appeared to be more relieved than venomous. "I would give you a biscuit for the effort, but instead I shall return your precious lighter to you." He tossed the small shiny object back to Jounouchi, and immediately walked away.  
  
Jounouchi stared at the lighter momentarily, the metal still warm from being on Seto for a prolonged amount of time. He then turned his attention towards the other teen, and smirked. It appeared that his hunch was a turn in a lucky direction, and that was precisely what the blond needed.  
  
Seto on the other hand was less than satisfied. *He shouldn't have been able to figure me out so soon. I should have spent more time observing his behaviour before I carried this all out and now my carelessness has cost me. It's best that I take this to the next level.*  
  
____________________________________________________________  
  
Jounouchi entered his apartment, a bag labeled "Burger World" tucked underneath his arm. After kicking off his Air Muscle sneakers, he strolled past the kitchen but couldn't help to stop to take a peek inside to see why no beer bottles were hurled in his general direction. The youth could not help but grin at the sight that lay before him: his father was lying facedown on the table, a few beer cans apparently knocked over due to his standard act of passing out. He was snoring rather loudly.  
  
*Man; he won't care where I'm goin' anyway. *  
  
Jounouchi went into his room and closed the door shut. He tossed his briefcase into a corner of his disorderly room, tossed the bag of hamburgers onto his bed, and then removed his jacket and tossed it into the same general direction he had tossed his briefcase moments before. He opened a drawer in his wooden, graffito-tagged dresser and pulled out a pair of green military-style pants. He undid the belt to his school pants, removing and then tossing them onto the same pile his other school items were, and proceeded to put on the pants. He then went towards his bed and removed a large green coat that was lying atop of it.  
  
After putting on the coat, he grabbed the Burger World bag and left his room. He slowly snuck into the kitchen and opened the refrigerator, opening the vegetable crisper and pulling out two cans of Asahi brand beer. He glanced back at his father and grinned once again as he tossed one of the cans into the bag, and tucked the other underneath his armpit. He then hurried to the entryway of the apartment, grabbed a pair of dirty combat boots and gently shut the door behind him.  
  
Jounouchi hopped over a wooden fence as he made his way towards his place of employment. The "place" was really an abandoned parking lot that was claimed by the local punks months ago when they needed a new locale to hold their weekly fighting tournaments.  
  
Jounouchi enjoyed participating in the weekly fighting tournaments, not because it was his only way of earning any decent money but because of the simple fact that he loved to fight. The very reason he decided to fight had much to do with his past, but he never dared to elaborate about it to anyone. He never really had a reason as to why he would never talk about it; most would simply respect the fact that he didn't want to talk about it and the rest never bothered to ask in the first place.  
  
"Hey fools!" Jounouchi held up his hand, making a slight waving gesture towards a group of young punks.  
  
"Hey, 'bout time you got yer mug here," one of the punks replied.  
  
"Yeah; we wondered if you were gonna show up after that loss you took last week, man," another punk stated.  
  
Jounouchi scoffed. "Shit; you know I bounce back quick. I need to talk to the Bank Teller; any of you know where he is?"  
  
A headband-wearing punk pointed behind him with his thumb. Jounouchi nodded, and walked behind the damaged chain-link fence to see another young punk, seated on the underside of a milk crate and smoking a cigarette.  
  
"Yo! Higashi!"  
  
Higashi looked over his shoulder. "Well, if it ain't Jounouchi. I thought for a minute that you'd be in hiding or something after last week."  
  
Jounouchi leaned against a lamppost. "Naw, dude. I just need to strike a proposition with you."  
  
Higashi pulled out a pack of cigarettes. "You know I don't do propositions, man. Cigarette?"  
  
Jounouchi pulled a cigarette from the offered package. "Yeah; but it's pretty important that I talk to ya."  
  
Higashi looked over at Jounouchi. "Like I said; I don't do propositions...but I know you're also a persistent bastard, and you're decent. But this is a one-time offer, got it?"  
  
Jounouchi nodded. "Yeah. I got it."  
  
Higashi nodded. "Alright. So whatta we go?"  
  
Jounouchi poured the contents of a water bottle over his head, and then briskly shook his head as the liquid cooled him down. He let out a deep sigh as he tossed the bottle aside.  
  
*It's been two fights...surely he'd want to show up tonight; I practically called him out. If he's waitin' until I'm spent before challenging me, I'm gonna-*  
  
"Yo, Jounouchi! You're up next!"  
  
Jounouchi's train of thought was instantly derailed by the interrupting reminder. He looked over to his left. "Yeah; alright. I'll be there in a sec."  
  
*He better get his ass over here, and fast.*  
  
Jounouchi walked over to the "ring", cracking the vertebrae in his neck as he took his place. He glanced over at his next opponent, and appeared surprised, yet an amused grin appeared on his lips.  
  
*This one will be nothin'...won't have to worry about breakin' a sweat.*  
  
"Toyama...never thought you'd show your face here. How's Hirutani doin'?"  
  
The punk sneered. "It'd be my ass if I said anythin' 'bout him to YOU."  
  
Jounouchi checked the dingy bandages that were wrapped about his knuckles. "I guess he's still bitter over the fact that I never sent him flowers to apologise for puttin' him in the ER."  
  
Although verbal exchanges were typical in the underground fights, any that involved Jounouchi and his former gangmate Hirutani were followed very closely. If there was one detail about Jounouchi's past that was allowed to slip through, it was that he used to run with Hirutani's gang and that things between the two did not end on a pleasant note. The exact details as to how their alliance deteriorated, however, could only be interpreted through various rumours at best.  
  
"I don't have time to deal with your shit, Jounouchi. If I knew I was gonna fight you, I'd have forfeit this match," Toyama replied.  
  
"Then just forfeit already."  
  
Before anyone-especially Toyama-had a chance to react to the mysterious voice, a sudden judo chop landed on the back of the punk's neck, instantly rendering him unconscious.  
  
Jounouchi's attention was now focused on the interrupting challenger.  
  
It was him.  
  
Jounouchi grinned. "And here I thought you were gonna stand me up."  
  
The leather-clad platinum blond pursed his lips for a moment. "I find that being late puts more attention to one's entrance. So then, are you more able to face me?"  
  
Jounouchi shot a quick glance at Higashi before returning his gaze to his rival. "I'm definitely at my prime tonight. This should be a fair match."  
  
'Platinum' nodded in response. "So, shall we get on with this already? I am confident that I can defeat you as easily as I did the last time."  
  
Jounouchi grinned. "Careful, now. That overconfidence just might cost ya."  
  
____________________________________________________________  
  
THE RAMBLINGS OF A WRITER AS FOLLOWS... Alright...I know what some of y'all must be thinking: there's no way that skinny-ass Kaiba could take Jounouchi in a fight. That's quite true. And if you're ready to send me e-mails about it—I'm already a step ahead of you. Just have faith, dear reader, for Kaiba can't win it all, and as you've read in this chapter Kaiba's downfall seems to be nearly concrete. Regarding Jounouchi's mood swing: I personally found Jounouchi's sudden change in mood to be just that—sudden. I wanted to write out a scenario that would cause Jounouchi to be in a better mood by the time he confronted Seto, but I decided to simply leave it; mood swings tend to be spontaneous anyway, so I shall leave it as such. Perhaps this will foreshadow some future Jounouchi angst. Also, take note: When a sentence starts with "*" (e.g. *That there Seto sure has some nice legs*), it denotes a thought. Just so y'all know. 


	4. Throw Down

CHAPTER FOUR: Throw Down  
  
The two blonds stood in their places, their eyes locked on each other and their hands primed and ready for the impeding match.  
  
The opposing platinum blond moistened his lips. Jounouchi cracked the vertebrae in his neck. The crowd remained silent, their cigarettes slowly burning away. A woman clad in an oversized coat removed her cigarette from her crimson lips. She then gave the two contenders a fleeting glance and flicked her cigarette away.  
  
The instant the small stick landed onto the asphalt, the two immediately rushed towards each other, thus initiating the fight.  
  
Jounouchi struck first with a series of jabs. "Platinum" had blocked the first two, then parried the third jab and immediately sidestepped Jounouchi as he threw out a fourth jab and grabbed him by his right shoulder in an attempt to throw him. However; Jounouchi spun on his heels and managed to break the throw attempt.  
  
The two were once again standing in front of each other, Jounouchi taking on what appeared to be a boxer's stance and 'Platinum' in an Aikido stance.  
  
"So far, we're even," Jounouchi stated.  
  
"Don't jump to conclusions just yet. After all, I'm only playing around with you," his opponent reminded.  
  
"So am I." At that moment, the platinum-haired opponent showed a hint of confusion at the statement. Jounouchi took advantage of this moment. He crouched and immediately dashed to close in on his rival. His right fist, which was held knuckle-side down, was held close to his side.  
  
However, the leather-clad contender quickly regained his composure and immediately realized that Jounouchi had attempted to confuse him just long enough to land a "free" hit. Jounouchi began to strike, swinging his fist upward—an uppercut strike. "Platinum" was one step ahead of him and immediately grabbed Jounouchi's wrist with his left hand but then he instantly released the hold as he shoved his right hand upwards, landing an open palm uppercut on the brawler's chin. The combination of Jounouchi's momentum and the sudden force used in the blow launched him into the air.  
  
The platinum blond's lips curled into a smile as he stepped forward and thrust out his right elbow to land an elbow strike on the gut of his airborne opponent. The force of the elbow knocked Jounouchi a few feet back. He landed on his back, sliding an extra foot due to the impact of his landing.  
  
"Your ruse betrayed you," 'Platinum' taunted. "If you concede now, I may just let you leave with your limbs intact."  
  
"Funny, I was gonna say the same thing." 'Platinum' was shocked; surely such an attack would have almost completely immobilized him. Jounouchi sat up, leaning on his left hand as his right wiped away the blood from his lip.  
  
"Those attacks hardly fazed me! Yer gonna have to do a lot better than that if ya expect to win this!" Jounouchi taunted.  
  
*Shit! I underestimated his stamina*, the platinum cursed as he tried not to show his anger in his face; instead he guised his anger under a false smile. "Hn! My skill is easily superior to yours and I also have speed to my advantage. You use your attacks in a clumsy manner, thus any boasting that you do about how 'great' your strength and stamina are is meaningless!"  
  
"I wasn't bragging, though," Jounouchi pointed out matter-of-factly. "Displaying and bragging are two different things. See; I was displaying. You're the one that's bragging."  
  
The platinum clenched his fists so hard; his knuckles matched the colour of his hair. *He's really starting to piss me off. It's time I turned this around.* He lowered his arms.  
  
Jounouchi nearly lowered his own arms in surprise as he lifted a perplexed brow. "Hey...are you givin' up already?"  
  
'Platinum' rested a hand on his hip. "No. I'm just bored. This isn't your best effort, is it?"  
  
Jounouchi's arms and shoulders lowered. "What are you talking about, 'boring'?! You keep parrying my punches, and all your 'hits' are more like pokes. If anyone's the boring one, it's you!" His index finger homed in on his opponent.  
  
'Platinum' shook his head and heaved a sigh as he crossed his arms. "Why would I want waste my more useful attacks against some boring punches, hrm? I've fought opponents of lesser significance that gave me a more interesting fight than you're giving me right now." *Take the bone, puppy; take the bone...*  
  
Jounouchi's clenched fists rapidly rose. "Oh; so is that how you want to do this?" He rammed his fists together as he cracked the vertebrae in his neck, and briefly hopped about on his feet like his feet and performed a swift one-two punch like a boxer. "Alright; fine! You wanna take this to the next level? I'm game!" *That's right; get confident, ya arrogant dickweed...*  
  
"Well, come on," 'Platinum' coerced as he made a "come hither" motion with his left hand. "Come on; show me what you got." As he said this, he brought his left hand up to his chest as his right went outwards then brought his left outwards as he brought his right to his chest in a fluid, circular motion.  
  
"I'll show you what I got, ya punk-ass bastard!" Jounouchi instantly lunged forward, and literally did not hold back his punches. He furiously threw out one punch, then another, followed by another, and so forth. 'Platinum' was doing his best to block each oncoming punch; he was stunned by how fast someone like Jounouchi was able to unleash each blow.  
  
"Come on; you wanted this to be more interesting!" Jounouchi jeered as he continued his assault. "All you're doing is blocking!"  
  
*He's right. I need to get out of this position and turn this around*...'Platinum' narrowed his eyes as he put forth his best efforts to evaluate a strategy that would enable him to fully dodge Jounouchi's relentless attacks and use an effective counter-attack, though the effort to concentrate was rather strenuous as he was using much of his strength just to be able to withstand the amazingly forceful impact of Jounouchi's blows.  
  
Jounouchi continued his strikes, his fists landing on the metallic wrist guards his opponent wore. His sweat-drenched bangs stuck to his forehead and temples; the rest of it waved with each movement he made. He unleashed another punch but this time he didn't feel the impact of his fist pounding into the metallic wrist guards. This moment's confusion slowed the dirty blond's punches down.  
  
The moment was just enough time for 'Platinum'. He took advantage of the delay by swaying backwards, and as he lunged forward he immediately thrusted his palms towards Jounouchi and struck him in the torso. The impact forced Jounouchi back several feet and succeeded in knocking him down onto his back in the process.  
  
*Christ; that one actually_ hurt_*, Jounouchi thought with a painful grimace on his face. Before he could elevate himself using his elbows, 'Platinum' had already closed the distance between them, standing over Jounouchi like a wolf over it prey. He smiled.  
  
"Your effort to make this fight more interesting was certainly valid, but I'm afraid it will have to end here for tonight," 'Platinum' stated as he rested his foot upon the fallen blond. *And it's about time this ended sooner. I'm starting to feel tired...*  
  
Jounouchi snickered. "Oh shit; laughing kinda hurts...you know, you're something else, man. You think you can declare a match over whenever you see fit to do so."  
  
'Platinum' replaced his arrogant smirk with an annoyed look. "And just what do you mean by that?"  
  
"Just sayin that it's not over 'til it's over." Jounouchi immediately grasped the platinum-blond's ankle in a tight grip and twisted, causing 'Platinum' to slip off of his downed opponent and fall. Jounouchi rolled to the side and stood up as quickly as he could; 'Platinum' one-upped him by performing a handspring to quickly spring back onto his feet.  
  
Jounouchi raised his fists once again. "I guess we're right back to where we started, huh?"  
  
'Platinum' sneered. "Stop being so sure about yourself. Your heavy breathing indicates that you're clearly winding down. I'd say we're about finished with this."  
  
*He should talk. The way he's hunched over like that is a sure sign he don't have much fight left in him either*, Jounouchi thought. *This definitely has to stop.*  
  
Jounouchi smirked. "Allright! If you want this to end, then what say we give this last round our best? Whoever's better, wins. Simple as that."  
  
'Platinum' scoffed. *It's about fucking time this thing ended...* "Hn. I hate doing my best, but I'll certainly be the winner here." Once again, he assumed his Aikido stance.  
  
"Whatever ya say, pretty-boy. Haaah!" Jounouchi instantly lunged towards 'Platinum', his fists at his sides and ready to deliver the bout's final blow. 'Platinum' remained still as always, studying his adversary's every movement and waiting for the right moment to make his counterattack and thus take the victory. Jounouchi's dash instantly slowed down as he made a spin on his feet, raising his right arm and immediately whipping his fist out in a forty-five degree arc at the end of the spin.  
  
Despite the surprise change in tactics in the last second, however, his attack had failed him. Jounouchi made the fatal error of slowing down enough to perform his Turn Knuckle that 'Platinum' was easily able to read his movement, use a combined duck and backwards sway to evade the attack, and use an effective counterattack. 'Platinum' grabbed the extended arm, pulled Jounouchi forward, and then swung Jounouchi's arm over his platinum- topped head to drag the disconcerted Jounouchi so that they stood back-to- back and finished the throw by tossing Jounouchi over his shoulder, slamming the boy onto the ground stomach-first.  
  
"Fuck...oh fuck; that hurts," Jounouchi groaned through ragged breaths. He weakly lifted his head to get a look at the victor of the bout. He smiled.  
  
"So...that's the end of that," 'Platinum' stated. "You put up...a much better fight than I had expected, and perhaps...perhaps that would have gotten the better of me were I less honed in my art..." He stumbled for a moment, but he quickly regained his balance. "So...have you learned...your lesson from all this?"  
  
Jounouchi slowly rolled onto his back, and winced in pain before returning his gaze to 'Platinum'. "Sure...whatever. I'm not sure how much more...how much more punishment my ass can take!"  
  
The leather-clad victor smirked. "Then I shall take my leave. I'll be watching...you..." He quickly turned around and sprinted from the parking lot. A few of the punks immediately rushed to Jounouchi's aid.  
  
"Shit man; that was a hell of a beating you took," one of them stated as he helped Jounouchi to sit up.  
  
Jounouchi grinned. "Well, it don't matter what happened...the platinum blond fell for it." Jounouchi sprang to his feet, much to the surprise of the people that crowded him. "Higashi! You see which way he went?"  
  
Once again, Higashi pointed towards the opening of the fence with his thumb. "Left."  
  
"Great. Then I can still catch up to him!" Jounouchi immediately dashed towards the exit. He took a moment to glance over his shoulder. "I'll see you guys next week! Let Toyama know he can take a rain check on that fight!" He grinned as he managed to catch a glance of Toyama as he finally regained consciousness before returning his focus on the impeding chase.  
  
____________________________________________________________  
  
The platinum blond immediately fell backwards, a brick wall managing to catch him before he fell. A thin sheen of sweat illuminated the youth with the aid of the street lights as he tried desperately to retrieve his breath. He reached up to his leather top and unzipped it completely, exposing his chest and torso to the cool night air. He then removed his shades, revealing a pair of intense blue eyes.  
  
*Christ; what was I thinking allowing myself to fight for that long? I should have ended the fight after I knocked him down the second time...I've overexerted myself...and I still have to get back to my place. Shit!*  
  
He closed his eyes and slowly sunk down to a kneeling position on the pavement; his head and left shoulder leaning against the brick wall as he continued to catch his breath. A convenient breeze made its way through the alley, cooling down the youth's heated body. He barely managed a weak smile as he opened his eyes and slowly rose to his feet.  
  
*I shouldn't have come out here tonight. I'm likely to be bothered by that puppy Jounouchi worse than before...it doesn't matter. He's likely going to figure me out sooner or later anyway, if he hasn't already. Things just didn't turn out the way they should have, and it's due to my carelessness...*  
  
He raised his right hand and grasped the platinum wig that rested on his head and tore it off; his grip was so weak that the wig fell to the ground. He ran his left hand through his brown tresses as his breathing was finally calming down. He bent down to retrieve the fallen wig, and began stumbling his way out of the alley.  
  
*I'll have to remain as discreet as I can, which won't be easy with the way I'm stumbling around...I'll need to find a place where I can rest enough before I return...shit; I don't feel too well...I've really overdone it tonight...it'll be a miracle if I wake up tomorrow...*  
  
He turned the corner and disappeared from the alley.  
  
However, he had not been alone. At the opposite end of the alley, a dirty blond turned away from the corner that he had been peeking through and narrowed his eyes with realization as he smiled.  
  
Katsuya Jounouchi's hunch was right. ____________________________________________________________  
  
AUTHOR'S NOTES Okay...so what did I say about Jounouchi being able to take on Kaiba? Okay, maybe I am a bit biased towards the brunet. I still love you, Jounouchi! You'll get Kaiba soon enough! Also, don't think that when Seto thought he it would be "a miracle if I wake up tomorrow", that he could die. This suddenl feeling he has will make sense in later installments. He's not gonna die! Some of you are probably turned off by the fact that the only "action" so far has been fighting, but take my word for it—all this fighting will lead to bigger things very soon. Well, I also must confess that I love fighting games, so that's a total muse/influence for me... Anyway, a note about the fight scene: I generally try to stay true to how realistic moves are for fighting techniques (though Jounouchi's technique is not really defined. He's a street punk, after all); Kaiba's use of a "double-palm strike" should sound familiar to Tekken fans, though—that attack he used was the Blonde Bomb, a signature move of Tekken's Nina Williams. Whether that factoid is important is up to you, but don't be surprised if another allusion to Miss Williams shows up in this series...*winks*  
  
Acknowledgements: I'd like to thank Mayflowah and FiNel for giving me some very handy advice and pointing out a few errors within my writing. Hopefully I can improve on these things! And of course, all the people that have taken the time to read this and review, y'all rock. *gives toast* 


	5. Revealed

CHAPTER FIVE: Revealed  
  
*Man; I can't believe that I figured out that that arrogant bastard Hirano was the same bastard that humiliated me last week...'I don't use Aikido for show' my ass. Man, I am so gonna stick this to 'im tomorrow.*  
  
Jounouchi felt quite victorious. Although he had suffered another defeat at the hands of his rival he managed to find out his true identity based on a suspicion he had. It had proved him correct; this was the true condition for victory for this battle. He had struck a deal with Higashi the previous night to disallow any bets to be placed on his fight with "Platinum", aka "Seto Hirano", since Jounouchi intended to throw the fight. He didn't walk away empty-handed though—he made some money from the fights that took place prior to his "match" with Seto.  
  
He decided to pocket those earnings for that night and not let his father know about it—after all, "daddy" was likely to gamble it all away or blow it all on more alcohol from the liquor store down the street rather than use it to pay rent or a past due utility bill. Jounouchi absolutely believed that the reason his father moved them into the apartment he resided in was solely because of how close it was to the establishment that only perpetuated in his father's alcoholism.  
  
Jounouchi shook his head. *Shit. Not gonna think about all that. I'm in a _good_ mood for a change.*  
  
"—and then she kneed him in the junk like, three times, and punched him in the nose!"  
  
Jounouchi's thoughts once again shifted upon hearing Honda's excited voice. He smirked rather sheepishly. *Must be talking about Anzu...who grabbed her ass this time?!*  
  
____________________________________________________________  
  
"She did WHAT?!" Otogi was in utter disbelief.  
  
"I'm not kidding. Anzu totally wailed on that guy," Honda insisted.  
  
Otogi whistled as he shook his head. "And this was all just because he grabbed her ass. Man...you weren't kidding when you said she was psycho."  
  
"Better watch it before this 'psycho' turns on you too," Anzu warned.  
  
Honda and Otogi nearly jumped. "Jesus! You've got stealth like some kind of ninja!" Honda exclaimed.  
  
Anzu sighed. "Well, I don't see why I'm a psycho just because I decided to beat up on some perverted assclown. Besides, the other girls on the train thought it was pretty cool."  
  
"That's because the girls you associate with are the ones who carry switchblades in their make-up totes," Otogi reprimanded with a slight shudder.  
  
Anzu scoffed as her hands rested on her hips. "I just don't get along with the giggly airheaded types."  
  
"Pro'lly 'cause you scare them," Jounouchi interjected as he entered the classroom. The trio's eyes were immediately set upon the dirty blond.  
  
"Hey, hey; someone's in a better mood today," Honda declared. Jounouchi smirked.  
  
"Is Hirano here?" Jounouchi inquired.  
  
"'I'm doing fine, man. Thanks for asking', asshole," Honda replied with a sneer.  
  
Otogi glanced in the direction where Seto was seated. "He's getting his beauty sleep."  
  
Jounouchi stroked his chin with the pad of his thumb as if he were pondering. "Well, I need him to wake up...hurl a die at him or something."  
  
Otogi raised a brow at scrappy blond. "And wind up getting my arms broken? Later for you, man."  
  
"Fine, if that's how yer gonna be...Anzu; gimme a sheet of paper." Jounouchi held out his hand.  
  
"I don't like where this is goin'," Honda stated as he looked away.  
  
Anzu tore out a sheet of paper from her spiral notebook, and nearly handed the sheet to Jounouchi before instantly whipping it away from his wanting hand. "You state me as an accomplice, and I'll have your balls."  
  
Jounouchi rolled his amber eyes. "You have my _word_ that I'll take the full blame, 100%." Anzu nodded, and handed Jounouchi the sheet.  
  
"'Sides, don't want yer switchblade packin' friends comin' after my ass," Jounouchi muttered as he crumpled the paper and wadded it into a tight ball.  
  
"I hope you don't mind losing the use of your limbs for a while," Honda jested as he leaned against the teacher's desk.  
  
"Please; boy's too tired to do nuthin' to me!" Jounouchi shut his left eye so he could properly aim the paper-ball, and after making a confirmation, he threw the ball—  
  
"Snap, crackle, pop," Anzu stated innocently.  
  
--and the lithe pale right hand of Seto Hirano had sprung up and caught the small projectile as if on instinct.  
  
Honda, Anzu, and Otogi were breathing a sigh of relief as Jounouchi shot a perplexed glare at the brunet. "I thought you were asleep."  
  
"Asshole," Seto swore as he threw the paper-ball back. Jounouchi caught it with ease. "I was merely resting my eyes."  
  
"Would drooling be a part of 'resting your eyes'?" Jounouchi grinned.  
  
Seto glared at him. "I am really not in the mood to put up with you, mutt. I won't even bother asking you why you're annoying me in the first place because I already know, so let's just get to the point—my office, during gym class. You know where it is." He paused. "Of course, even if you didn't, you could sniff me out."  
  
"You know, I'm really getting fed up with your little dog cracks. Just where do you go comparin' me to a dog anyway?" Jounouchi demanded.  
  
"My office, during gym. If you want me to repeat myself one more time, I'll have to ask for payment in the form of dislocating your arm." Seto lowered his head onto the desk, "resting his eyes" once again.  
  
"Honestly, I don't know why you start trouble with that bitch," Anzu whispered.  
  
Jounouchi smirked. "I'm starting to have fun with it."  
  
Anzu held her hand to her head as if she was suffering from a headache. "You really are something else, you know that, right?"  
  
__________________________________________________________  
  
It was time for gym class, and Jounouchi knew to take that time to seek Seto at his office to have another little talk with him. *I bet he's still a little pissed off about the fight...man, if he ever found out what really happened, he'd probably murder me...*  
  
He slowed down to a sneak as he made his way towards the corner. He leaned against the brick wall and slowly moved towards the edge and sniffed the air to catch a whiff of burning tobacco and cloves. He smirked and then peeked over the corner to see what Seto was up to.  
  
The dirty blond was not completely surprised in the least at the activity that Seto immersed himself in. The brunet was reading his book, as he usually did, while taking the occasional drag of his black cigarette. The only thing that appeared unusual to Jounouchi was the headphones that Seto was wearing. He turned away from the corner, and shrugged his shoulders.  
  
"Stop sniffing around and just enter my office already, mutt."  
  
Jounouchi jumped; he hated it when Seto surprised him like that! He quickly retained his composure, and assumed his "usual" stance of pocketed hands and a slouched back. He turned the corner, and cocked his head in a greeting gesture.  
  
"Yo." Jounouchi grinned.  
  
Seto sneered at Jounouchi as he pressed a button on his CD player to interrupt the current song it was playing, and rested a bookmark into his book before shutting it and placing it onto his lap.  
  
Jounouchi noticed a CD case that was lying next to Seto. He tried to make out the words on it-his English skills were rather lacking-but he managed to figure out the name of the band: Joe Satriani. He raised a brow. "I had no idea that you were the type to listen to music," Jounouchi stated casually.  
  
"Nothing that you're into," Seto coolly replied. "So, shall we just get this over with?"  
  
Jounouchi lifted a brow. "What; you wanna fight?"  
  
Seto sighed; there was a hint of annoyance in the sigh. "Everything's just a fight with you, isn't it? No. What I mean is that you know something, and you know something that pertains to me, so just say it already."  
  
"Yeah, yeah," Jounouchi dismissed as he leaned against the wall and folded his arms. "No; it has nothin' to do with that. I just wanted to talk about that time I tried to ambush you."  
  
Seto wore his trademark smirk. "You're looking to get a rematch, aren't you?"  
  
Jounouchi gave a slight nod. "Hell yeah I am."  
  
Seto took a moment to stretch his back; his lithe arms were outstretched, and Jounouchi noticed a pair of oversized wristbands the boy was wearing. Seto glanced at Jounouchi. "Well, I certainly wouldn't consider it a 'rematch' considering that it was merely an ambush that wound up working against your favour. Perhaps it would be better to term it as just a regular match?"  
  
Jounouchi glared at Seto and sneered. "Tch; smart-ass. Sure; we can just do it up like our first real match." *More like second...*  
  
"Very well. Although traditionally it is the challenged that chooses the time and location, I am going to leave all that entirely up to you."  
  
For a few moments, the two boys stared at each other as if they were trying to read each other's thoughts.  
  
Finally, Jounouchi spoke up. "All right...how about today, six p.m., at the basketball court over by the Seven-Eleven? It'll just be you and me; no spectators whatsoever since I know you don't like to show off yer style and all."  
  
"How very considerate of you," Seto replied in an almost sardonic tone of voice. "I will agree to meet with you at the allocated time and location. I promise that I won't hurt you too badly." He smirked, but it was the more venomous smirk that Jounouchi hated.  
  
Jounouchi removed himself from the wall, his grin still plastered on his face. "Great. I look forward to giving you the fight of your life, Hirano." He waved as he turned around and walked away from the "office".  
  
"I am merely doing this because it will shut you up," Seto reminded as he opened his book.  
  
"Sure; whatever you say! Just be sure you show up in that hot leather number you were wearing the other night!"  
  
The instant those words were spoken, Seto's book and cigarette fell to the ground as his eyes were widened with a mix surprise and realization; he turned his gaze over to Jounouchi's retreating form.  
  
"Oh, and be sure to leave that platinum wig at home! You look better as a brunet!"  
  
*Fuck.*  
  
AUTHOR'S RAMBLINGS Originally, I wanted to introduce Mokuba in this chapter but as I wrote the scene, it bothered me because I felt it was perhaps "too soon" to introduce Mokuba...the scene was that of Jounouchi going to an arcade, and meeting Mokuba there when he beats Jou at a game...and having read this chapter, I'm sure you'll agree that that scene would have interrupted the flow of the story. But no worries; Mokuba WILL make his appearance soon—for now, I simply want the focus to be that Jounouchi is looking to fight Kaiba, and Kaiba just finds him annoying, in a fun sort of way.  
  
This chapter doesn't really do much as far as advancing the story goes, and I apologise for that. If I combined this chapter with the next, it might have been too long (though if I ever put out an HTML version on my website, you better believe I'll combine 5 and 6). Hopefully, despite the lack of story advancement, you'll notice a few changes in the boys' attitude that will definitely set the scene for 6.  
  
And yes; there is yet ANOTHER fight that is to occur in the next chapter—I know what you're thinking: "Hey, Shadow Ivy! You said this fic would have a Jou/Kai pairing! When the hell are they gonna stop fighting, and start loving?" Well, I promise you that in the next chapter, the latter will definitely start up—in fact, the next chapter will definitely plant the seeds for some of the more crucial plot points for CONTRAST: Blue. As I stated back in the start of the series, I wanted Jounouchi and Kaiba to _develop_ their relationship rather than just jump right into it as I've seen most fics do. Granted, development can be a "turn off" to some people, but for those of you that have stuck to this series and continue to do so, I appreciate it, and your patience over the soon-to-be-budding relationship between Jounouchi and Kaiba will be rewarded. Anyway, I hope y'all continue reading, and for those that have been reviewing, I give you my thanks! *toast*  
  
P.S. And yes; there _are_ Seven-Elevens in Japan. 


	6. Hard Battle

CHAPTER SIX: Hard Battle  
  
5: 53 pm. Men in business suits walked to their homes or their karaoke bars while teenagers, freed from the clutches of school, hung outside of Seven- Elevens and music stores and young children gathered around capsule machines in hopes of earning rare toys and trinkets at the expense of their allowances.  
  
In the basketball court adjacent to the Seven-Eleven, Jounouchi practiced his movements as he waited for his opponent. His fists moved swiftly, jabbing and upper-cutting the unseen opponent as he shuffled around on his feet.  
  
Despite his youth, Jounouchi was considered to be a very formidable fighter. He was introduced to street fighting by his colleagues five years ago, but his dedication allowed his ability to mature within a matter or months. Most noted that his strength and stamina were his strongest points, however; he lacked discipline and patience and these weaknesses prevented him from becoming a nearly unstoppable fighter.  
  
*That lack o' discipline and shit musta been how Seto managed to take advantage of me.* Jounouchi reflected as he continued his practice routine. *I wish I were a patient man. Just don't have time these days; don't have time at all.*  
  
Left-right jab...  
  
*Maybe it's 'cause I'm so damn worried 'bout everythin'.*  
  
Uppercut...  
  
*Worried about "dad" making payment on that bill. Hell; worried about "dad" not gettin' alcohol poisoning again...worried about being able to stay in school...worried about Shi—*  
  
"Wouldn't it be best for you to _save_ your energy?"  
  
Jounouchi immediately stopped mid-jab. His eyelids lowered as he cocked a smirk and slowly turned around.  
  
A large metal briefcase slammed into the ground as Seto stood across from the dirty blond, his arms folded. He was wearing the leather outfit as Jounouchi requested-albeit jokingly-though the blond noticed some newer details with the outfit. He noticed there were leather chaps strapped to a pair of black jeans; the belt, which originally bore a generic buckle, was now replaced by the familiar "Bad Guy" buckle that Seto was famous for.  
  
It was noted that he was not wearing a platinum-blond wig, nor was he wearing sunglasses.  
  
Jounouchi whistles. "You know; when I said to wear that leather number, it was to let you know that I was onto you, _not_ to let you know that I really wanted you to wear it...though I must say, it looks good on a girly- boy like you."  
  
Seto did not appear amused. "I am wearing this because I find it most comfortable for when I'm fighting."  
  
"Leather? COMFORTABLE?! You are out of your damn mind."  
  
"Let's just get this over with."  
  
"Hold on, hold on. There's no hurry. Why not have a warm-up session? Get yourself ready for the fight and all."  
  
"I did not need to 'warm up' the last three times I fought you," Seto scoffed as he looked away for a moment. "I see no reason to do so now."  
  
Jounouchi laughed. "Man, I was holding back all those times. You think I'm giving a hundred percent when I'm fighting? I don't even need to go above seventy when I beat down those punks on the weekends. But you...you're the first in a long time. I just hope I ain't rusty..." He threw out a three- punch combination.  
  
Seto raised a brow. "If you're still as reckless as I remember, I have nothing to worry about."  
  
Once again, Jounouchi stopped punching. "All I need is two hits. Then you're down and out." He paused to look over Seto, and noticed that hanging from his neck was a small pendant.  
  
"Nice pendant. I thought only girls wore 'em."  
  
Seto's head tilted scantly, with errant tendrils of his bronze hair falling over the right side of his face. "That is the second time you have labeled me as being effeminate." He put on a coy smile. "Is this because I keep making dog references to you, puppy?"  
  
"Maybe; maybe not," Jounouchi sneered.  
  
Seto's arms fell to his side. "Unlike you, insults don't affect me in the least. Now then, are we through with words?"  
  
Jounouchi shrugged, and assumed his fighting stance. "Sure. Just don't be too upset when I beat ya."  
  
"There you go with that overconfidence again," Seto noted as he took on his aikido stance. "But hey. So long as it remains your greatest disadvantage, defeating you will be as simple as breathing."  
  
"Whatever ya say!" Jounouchi slowly approached the brunet with careful steps, but as he was getting closer his pace quickened, until he was roughly five feet in front of his opponent—he then lunged towards Seto and thrust his fist forward. Seto stepped to the side and counter-attacked with a side chop aimed at Jounouchi's torso. However, the dirty blond managed to dash backwards, narrowly escaping Seto's oncoming strike. Seto appeared to be a little surprised, but quickly regained his concentration as he kept a careful watch of Jounouchi's movements.  
  
Jounouchi shuffled on his feet for a moment before dashing towards Seto once again. He noticed Seto's azure eyes watching him, and smirked. As soon as he was directly in front of the brunet he swayed backwards, barely dodging a palm strike in the process. Seto could not hide the surprised look on his face this time and Jounouchi immediately took advantage of that as he lunged forward and successfully drove his right fist into the brunet's gut.  
  
The impact was immense; Seto doubled over in submission to the pain, his shaking arms clutching tightly to his torso as he fell onto his knees.  
  
"Not even five minutes into the match, and already you seem to be down and out." Jounouchi paused for a moment to spit. "Y'know, I'm rather disappointed...I didn't get to show ya my full repertoire of moves..."  
  
"Not done yet..." Seto wheezed.  
  
Jounouchi appeared as though he was struck by a surprise attack. "Say what? Dude, I just struck you right in the gut! As skinny as you are, you should be ready to surrender or somethin'!"  
  
Seto managed a weak smile as he tried to stand on his feet. He wobbled, and even nearly fell backwards, but he managed to maintain his footing. "You're not...the only one full...of surprises," he rasped.  
  
"Yer either real persistent or you got some stamina. Can't be stamina, though." Jounouchi raised his fists. "The next hit should put you down and out."  
  
"You're welcome to try and land another blow on me."  
  
"You asked for it." Jounouchi threw out two quick jabs, both of which Seto parried with surprising ease. Jounouchi then spun around and tried to use the momentum to perform a turn knuckle attack, but Seto easily managed to dodge the attack--but the damage that was earlier dealt to him caused him to momentarily lose his footing. Jounouchi saw this, and without giving it a second thought, he leapt towards the brunet. Seto barely managed to regain his balance when he saw Jounouchi jumping towards him. He tried to think up an effective counterattack but he was too late; Jounouchi had rammed into him, and to ensure that the brunet would not try to roll away upon falling, he wrapped his arms around Seto's waist. The force of the tackle sent the two teens to the ground, Seto landing on his back with Jounouchi landing on top of him. Jounouchi immediately used his knees to pin Seto's wrists to the ground and his hands to keep the brunet's shoulders pinned as well.  
  
"Now I _know_ there's no way for you to escape defeat. Just admit that I've won, and I'll let you go." Jounouchi grinned.  
  
"Says you," Seto jeered as he struggled in vain. "I'm still conscious...I can still turn this around."  
  
"Ya nearly fell when ya dodged my attack," Jounouchi stated matter-of- factly. "And you think you c'n turn this around. Are you some kinda masochist?"  
  
"I—" Seto started, but suddenly the strained look on his features was replaced by a more horrified expression.  
  
"Now what is it?" Jounouchi was puzzled. "First you insist you can still fight, now ya look like ya got yer period and forgot yer tampon or somethin'!"  
  
"Get off," Seto whispered.  
  
Jounouchi stifled a laugh. "Hey now; I ain't fallin' for that. I know the instant I let you go, I'm gonna wind up in some kinda arm lock, and then yer gonna laugh and—"  
  
"I said OFF!!" Seto bent his right leg and land landed the knee onto the small of Jounouchi's back. The blow wasn't very strong, but it was enough for Jounouchi to roll off to the side, thus releasing his hold on the leather-clad brunet.  
  
"Ow...Christ; what the hell is wrong with you?" Jounouchi demanded as he glowered at Seto.  
  
Seto had his back turned to the dirty blond. "I...I need a five-minute time out."  
  
Jounouchi sat up. "Request denied! You can't take any time-outs just 'cause yer getting' yer ass kicked!"  
  
"That's not why I want a time-out!" Seto insisted as he glanced down. His cheeks immediately became rosy with an embarrassing blush.  
  
Jounouchi snorted. "Then what's your reason for the request, huh? Lost a contact lens, blue-eyes?"  
  
Seto gnashed his teeth; he really didn't need this. "I just need a time- out! I can't explain why!"  
  
"Fuck you! You ain't got a reason to take a time-out, so turn your ass around so we can finish this." Jounouchi spit once again. "'sides, no problem you have could be enough to make you act like that, unless..."  
  
Seto shut his eyes. *I hope he doesn't realize...*  
  
Jounouchi narrowed his eyes at Seto and cocked his head to the side. Slowly, his head straightened, and his eyes nearly bulged from their sockets.  
  
"Oh my God..."  
  
Seto bit his lower lip--  
  
"OH, MY GOD!! Oh Jesus! You...you had a hard-on, didn't you?! When I was on top of you? Is that why ya have yer back facin' to me? Ohhh Jesus! I got boned!"  
  
--and he winced.  
  
Jounouchi continued to rant about the situation. "You...yer a guy...another guy! I got boned by another guy! Oh shit...I don't know what to think...I don't know how to think...I need to sit down—"  
  
A sharp slap immediately interrupted Jounouchi's raving state. Jounouchi held a hand to his cheek as he glared at Seto, who appeared to be equally frustrated.  
  
"Will you calm down? It was an accident," Seto said in a surprisingly calm tone. "I'm sure _you_ have accidentally got a hard-on whenever an attractive woman passed you by."  
  
Jounouchi still looked horrified. "A...an ACCIDENT? You don't accidentally bone another _man_! You just don't!"  
  
"It was a fucking accident," Seto growled. "Will you just calm down, or do I need to beat you senseless?"  
  
The threat appeared to calm Jounouchi down, for he stopped raving and finally silenced. He took deep breaths in an attempt to calm down, his half- opened amber eyes wandering downwards towards the brunet's crotch.  
  
"No staring, PLEASE." Seto's response was anything but polite as he looked away, holding a hand to the side of his face as he tried to hide his blushing cheeks.  
  
Jounouchi looked away. "...I think I'm more focused now...we can continue if you've, er, calmed down."  
  
"You are sure?" Seto turned around.  
  
Jounouchi's eyes wandered downwards for a moment before they met with Seto's narrowed azure eyes. "Yeah. I'm definitely good to go."  
  
Seto reassumed his aikido stance. "Then let's finish this."  
  
Jounouchi raised his fists. "Yeah, let's just wrap this up. I think things have dragged out for long enough." His amber eyes narrowed, though scantly. *He looks as though he never took that heavy blow—gah! That heavy _punch_ I gave him. Does he have some freakish recovering ability that I don't know about?*  
  
Seto frowned. "Why are you hesitating?"  
  
Jounouchi didn't hear him. His fists became a trifle lower. *That wouldn't make any sense...when I saw him last night he looked like he was ready to pass out at any minute. This is just confusing...*  
  
"You wanted the fight to continue, and now you appear to be out of it. If you won't attack me—"  
  
*He's become a lot more frustrated and impatient. This must have been how I appeared to him the first few times we fought...but with him, it seems almost...frightening.*  
  
"—then I will simply have to persuade you to continue!" Seto raced towards the oblivious Jounouchi, his arms held at his sides and his eyes locked on the dirty blond. He saw the sudden alertness come upon Jounouchi's expression, and smiled.  
  
"Man; what the hell are ya thinkin', tryin' to rush me?" Jounouchi's fists rose once again, "I'm just gonna pummel ya again! And this time I'll make sure ya don't get up!"  
  
Seto's smiled remained as he threw out a knife-hand strike—Jounouchi responded in kind by throwing out a strike of his own, in the form of an uppercut.  
  
Jounouchi realized too little too late that Seto was merely using a feint in order to force Jounouchi to attack. Seto took immediate advantage of Jounouchi's mistake by gripping the vulnerable teen's left shoulder. Seto put enough strength and weight onto his hand so he could easily jump over to his opponent's backside, but mid-jump he placed his left leg over Jounouchi's shoulder and wrapped his right around the dirty blond's chest.  
  
"What--?" Before Jounouchi could get an idea as to what was going on, Seto rolled himself towards the ground, flipping Jounouchi downwards in the process. As soon as Jounouchi landed on the ground, Seto grasped Jounouchi's right arm as his legs wrapped around Jounouchi's waist.  
  
"You bastard...you were totally fakin' it!" Jounouchi growled. "Ya really weren't pissed off at me, were ya?"  
  
Seto smirked. "Actually, I was. But unlike you, I actually know how to channel that frustration in such a way that I can use it to work for me and not against me. However, I must thank you for actually taking the time to think. If it weren't for your complete lack of attention, I don't think I would have been very successful."  
  
"Yeah; I sure chose a good time to think," Jounouchi sneered as he tried to wriggle out of Seto's hold.  
  
"You put up a better fight than last night, but once again I have bested you," Seto declared. "There's no way you can get out of my hold either, so you may as well concede now."  
  
Jounouchi grinned. "Well, before I do that, I have a confession to make."  
  
Jounouchi's unusual mood dampened Seto's victorious fervor. "What do you mean?"  
  
"I took something from you as you were throwing me."  
  
Seto frowned. "You took something? What could you have possibly—" He glanced down at his own chest. "...taken...?"  
  
Jounouchi's left hand held up the pendant that was previously around Seto's neck. "Lookie-lookie; I got yer pendant!"  
  
"You son of a bitch; hand that over!" Seto released his hold on Jounouchi's arms; the dirty blond could feel Seto's legs loosening its hold on his waist. Pendant still tightly clutched in his grip, Jounouchi swung his fist downwards at Seto's right ankle with success. Seto gasped as he felt the sudden impact on his ankle and completely unwrapped his legs from Jounouchi's waist, thus freeing the dirty blond from the hold. Jounouchi rolled to the side and sprung to his feet. He turned around, grinning at Seto as he spun the pendant around his index finger.  
  
Seto tried to scramble to his feet but the blow on his ankle was just enough to prevent him from successfully doing so without feeling the sharp pain in his ankle. This forced him to put his weight onto his left foot, though the grimace on his face was a tell-tale sign that there was no avoiding the intense pain.  
  
"Seto! I'm gonna let you in on a secret," Jounouchi declared, the grin remaining. "It didn't take me long to figure out that ya didn't think of me as being a very smart person. I know I don't speak with a lotta big words or nothin', and my grades in school are shitty...but I make up fer that in bein' real clever. You may think yer so smart and clever, and I'll definitely give ya smart, but clever? I got ya beat there."  
  
"Great. Congratulations. You're cleverer than I," Seto snarled between wheezing. "I want that pendant back."  
  
"Oh, this thing?" Jounouchi stopped twirling the pendant long enough to get a good look. It rested comfortably in the center of the palm of Jounouchi's hand. The rectangular pendant was crafted in gold with a loop on the very top, strung through with a black thread with metallic fasteners. Jounouchi noticed that on the left side of the pendant were tiny hinges.  
  
"That is a personal treasure of mine, and I _will_ have it back!" Seto held out a shaking right hand, his hateful gaze remaining upon the other teen.  
  
"A personal treasure?" Jounouchi snorted as he looked down at the locket. "Only girls keep lockets as treasures, man. Just what's inside that's so important, anyway?" Jounouchi proceeded to open the outer casing of the locket, until he looked over at Seto. His smile vanished as quickly as the brunet had fallen.  
  
"Shit!" Jounouchi quickly pocketed the locket as he rushed to Seto's side, kneeling down and helping Seto sit up. The brunet's eyes were tightly shut, his breathing slightly ragged and his skin unusually clammy.  
  
"This better not be a fuckin' attempt at a trick, 'cause this ain't funny," Jounouchi threatened as he gently tapped the side of Seto's face. "Wake up, Hirano, come on...Oh damn; yer really out, aren't ya?"  
  
Jounouchi's thick brows knitted in worry as he watched Seto's face in hopes of seeing his eyelids recede and give way to those crystal blue eyes.  
  
"Oh man...yer not wakin' up, but yer breathin'. Okay...probably over did it, right? It's nothin' serious...I just gotta get you somewhere safe..."  
  
He placed his left arm beneath the bends of Seto's lengthy legs, and his right on the small of the brunet's back, and slowly stood, carrying the other teen. He managed a small smile; he was glad that Seto was a lightweight. He glanced over and noticed the briefcase.  
  
Jounouchi bit his lower lip as he sheepishly glanced down at Seto. "Shit. Even when yer out of it, ya still know how to make things harder fer me..."  
  
____________________________________________________________  
  
AUTHOR'S NOTES  
  
Well, I'm sure that having read this you can REALLY see where that 'R' rating came in—poor Kaiba. But as you can see their relationship is getting underway...mind you, the seeds are merely being sown, so it will take time to grow. Yes, I love to torture you all. As far as the fight goes—there's no real winner declared, but based on technicality, Jounouchi is the winner. I am sorry if this disappoints Jounouchi fans, but I hope you forgive me based on Jounouchi's ability to outwit Kaiba. Kaiba may be a genius, but to me, it's only on an academic level. He hasn't had enough human interaction to be able to outwit a street smart like Jounouchi just yet.  
  
Now, I was asked (by Psycho-Shounen) about Yuugi in this series. For those who may or may not know, Yuugi does NOT appear in the Contrast series. I've written out any and all Millennium Item holders, as I felt they not only would hinder the direction of the series, but also because there was no reason to put them into this AU series (especially Duel Monsters...). However, Yuugi may not be completely written out of the series. Watch this space; I may just have some good news for you Yuugi fans soon enough.  
  
Once again, thank you for taking the time to read and review Contrast: BLUE! I hope you enjoyed this installment as you did the last five, and that you'll stick around for more. *hands out toast* 


	7. Confliction and Affliction

CHAPTER SEVEN: Confliction and Affliction  
  
Darkness.  
  
That was the only thing Seto could make out, no matter how much effort he put into trying to make out his surroundings. All that there was around him was darkness. All that could be found was darkness.  
  
He was confused and even felt a little disoriented. He shook his head in an attempt to get back in touch with "reality", but was rather frustrated when the same blackness remained.  
  
+For someone who is swift in thought, you disappoint me. +  
  
His eyes snapped open the moment he heard the childlike "voice". He looked around; where was it coming from?  
  
+In here. I'm in here. +  
  
Seto narrowed his eyes; though in thought rather than in frustration.  
  
+You've finally figured it out, haven't you? +  
  
"Yes," Seto stated flatly. "I do not appreciate hearing you inside my head. I have enough people who think I'm some kind of weirdo without you perpetuating that stereotype."  
  
+That's not what I meant. +  
  
Seto's shoulders slightly fell as an agitated sigh escaped from his lips. "Figured out...you mean figured out how I got here?" He took a moment to think over his previous situation. He folded his arms when he finally came upon the conclusion. "I passed out again."  
  
+Honestly, you're like the drunkard at the liquor bar who doesn't know when he's had enough. +  
  
Seto shook his head. "This really doesn't concern you. It was my choi—my _mistake_ to go out there and fight Jounouchi so soon after our last encounter."  
  
+And because of your poor judgment, not to mention your impatience, you lost. +  
  
Seto sneered. "I don't like those little factoids any more than you do. I'll be sure to take my victory back once I am ready."  
  
+If you say so. There's more to life than just fighting, you know. +  
  
"That may be, but it feels like the right thing to do right now."  
  
+Even at the cost of your life? +  
  
"Death doesn't scare me in the least."  
  
+No; I suppose it doesn't. You never really held yourself in a high enough esteem, so I shouldn't be surprised. Anyway, as much as I would like to lecture you some more, you have to wake up now. +  
  
"What?"  
  
At that moment Seto's eyelids fluttered open. A moan escaped his lips as he shut them before opening them more quickly. He slowly sat up, putting his weight on his left hand as his right reached for his head, which slowly bobbed as a result of dizziness. Despite this state, Seto managed to take in the surroundings of the room. He looked down to see that he had been sleeping in a bed. He looked to his right to see a large window, which was covered by Venetian blinds, a modestly-sized television set with a remote control on top of it, and a coffee maker in the corner adjacent to the window. To his left he saw an open door that lead to a bathroom, and a closed mirrored door, which was likely to be a closet. A nightstand rested next to his bed; a lamp and a glass of ice water stood upon it. In front of him, he saw another closed door.  
  
*Where the hell am I?* He shook his head again. *It looks like a bedroom...It's not mine; whose house is this? I don't even know _how_ I got here. It doesn't matter. I need to get going...I can't afford to be found out.*  
  
He swung his legs over the side of the bed, and immediately took notice that he was not only barefoot but that his right ankle, which he remembered was injured in the fight, was wrapped in a bandage. His eyes wandered a little further and he found that his briefcase and boots rested near the end of the bed. He tried to reach over for the boots but the weakness he suffered from the strain of fighting had kicked in once again, blurring his vision and thus causing him to fall off of the bed. He slowly lifted his head from the floor and tried to sit up, but he felt that same dreaded dizziness and fell once more.  
  
He did not make another attempt. *It feels as though something is weighing me down, but I know that is not the case. I have never felt this badly after a fight before...did I really overdo it? Will I even be able to make a full recovery—*  
  
"Well, well, sleeping beauty finally woke up."  
  
Seto's eyes widened upon hearing that voice. *It can't be...*  
  
He looked over to see a familiar pair of sneakers in front of him, and he slowly lifted his head to gaze directly at the face of Jounouchi. He instantly allowed his head to fall to the floor.  
  
"Whoa; careful now!" Jounouchi exclaimed as he helped Seto sit up. "You took enough of a beating that you don't need to make it worse."  
  
"Get your mangy hands off of me," Seto growled.  
  
Jounouchi's smile faded. "Gee, no 'thank you', huh? I try to be a nice guy, and you look like yer ready to kill me!"  
  
"I don't need your help. I am capable of standing on my own."  
  
"Yer the boss." Jounouchi released his hold on Seto, who promptly fell over and crashed onto the carpeted floor once again. Seto's face was momentarily twisted in pain and frustration as Jounouchi helped him sit up once more.  
  
"There's nothing wrong with asking for a little help, you know," Jounouchi mused.  
  
Seto slowly turned his head to glance at the dirty blond. "I hate owing people anything, especially 'nice' gestures."  
  
Jounouchi's smile returned. "Then I guess you'd be real mad at me if I told ya that I'm gonna be holdin' this 'nice gesture' over on ya until it's finally repaid, huh?"  
  
"If I weren't so weakened, I would give you your payback right here, right now."  
  
"Ha! Well unfortunately for us both, we have to wait." Jounouchi glanced at the unoccupied bed. "So; what say we get you back into that big comfortable bed, huh?"  
  
"I do not want to—OH!!" Before Seto really had the chance to fully object Jounouchi rapidly rose to his feet, his strong arms carrying Seto, and promptly tossed him onto the bed. The impact caused the flustered teen to slightly bounce on the mattress.  
  
Jounouchi noted Seto's surprised expression, and smiled. "Wow; that's a funny look for you."  
  
"You are not amusing."  
  
Jounouchi sighed as he sat on the opposite side of the bed. "I'm just tryin' to make light before we get serious."  
  
"Oh; so you are capable of being such? I had no idea."  
  
"Are you _always_ the equivalent of ice water?"  
  
"That would depend on the person."  
  
"You mean you actually have a –gasp—human side to you?" *Must be related to that picture in the pendant...*  
  
"It's a side you'll never see."  
  
Jounouchi scratched the back of his head. "No, I guess not."  
  
"By the way, just where am I?"  
  
"Yer at my little safehouse. Actually, it belongs to this older chick named July, but she's one of them MILF types, and she's real nice, so it's cool."  
  
Seto raised a brow at the dirty blond.  
  
Jounouchi blushed as he looked away. "Ya know; I do have some questions to ask ya."  
  
"I have nothing to tell you."  
  
The dirty blond looked at Seto once again, the blush having disappeared from his face. "Aw, come on. Don't be like that. You said you hate repaying nice gestures and the like...so maybe a little Q 'n' A would be doable?"  
  
Seto glanced over at Jounouchi. "Very well, but under one condition."  
  
"I promise I won't tell _anyone_."  
  
Seto raised a brow. "Two conditions. The first you have already met." He paused. "At least, I would hope. The second, I need to know what time it is."  
  
Jounouchi appeared puzzled for an instant as he checked his wristwatch. "It's about a quarter to eleven. Why??"  
  
"SHIT!" Seto attempted to roll out of the bed, but he fell off once again. Jounouchi sprung to his feet and rushed to Seto's side.  
  
"Jesus; yer gonna kill yerself if ya keep fallin' outta the bed like that!" Jounouchi scolded as he picked Seto up and gently laid him down onto the bed.  
  
"I need my phone."  
  
Jounouchi stared at Seto blankly. "Well, where is it?"  
  
"It's..." Seto fell silent. "Oh, shit. It's...it's in the briefcase."  
  
"So? I can just open it up for ya, and—"  
  
"It's got a combination lock." Seto sighed. "And I am not going to disclose that combination to you."  
  
"You really like being difficult, don't you?" Jounouchi scowled. "Well, there's a phone in the kitchen. Just tell me the number, and I can call the person and let them know what's happened with ya."  
  
Seto gave Jounouchi an unamused glare. "Just hand me my briefcase."  
  
"Don't see what's so bad 'bout askin' me to do it..." Jounouchi muttered as he grabbed the large metallic case and laid it next to Seto. "Now what?"  
  
"Face the handle and locks towards me."  
  
"Say 'please'."  
  
Seto glowered at Jounouchi. "Please."  
  
Jounouchi faced the topside of the briefcase towards Seto. "Now what?"  
  
"I open it, that's what." Seto slowly sat up and leaned against the headrest for support. His lithe fingers instantly began working the combination lock on the briefcase, and within seconds of cracking the combination he snapped the pair of locks into the "unlocked" position and swung open the case. He removed a metallic blue cellular phone from the interior of the case.  
  
"Just what is in there, anyway?" Jounouchi tried to look over to see what was contained within the case, but Seto abruptly slammed it shut before Jounouchi could catch even the slightest peek.  
  
Seto began dialing. "I need you to stand over by the closet door and place your hands over your ears so you don't listen in."  
  
"Geez; all this for a little phone call? What are you, somebody important?" Jounouchi inquired sarcastically as he stood in front of the mirrored door and placed his hands over his ears. He looked at Seto's reflection.  
  
"Ya want for me to go 'la la la' while I'm at it?"  
  
Seto shook his head as he held the phone to his ear. "He doesn't need to be more boisterous than he already is..."  
  
Jounouchi watched as Seto's expression drastically changed from an annoyed to a more concerned expression. He wished he could read lips as he really wanted to know what Seto was saying, but then Seto faced away from the reflection, preventing any chance of the dirty blond to actually do so. Jounouchi frowned. He really wanted to know who it was Seto was speaking to.  
  
He then noticed as Seto faced the mirror again. He lowered the cell phone, indicating that his conversation was finished. Jounouchi uncovered his ears.  
  
"You didn't try to listen in, did you? I had realized that you were perhaps considering reading my lips," Seto stated as he placed the phone next to the nightstand.  
  
"No; I wasn't trying to listen in, and thanks for trustin' me," Jounouchi replied sarcastically as he sat down on the opposite side of the bed once again. "So, now that that's done with, can I ask my questions?"  
  
"Yes. Go ahead."  
  
Jounouchi cracked his knuckles. "All right...first question: why did you pass out?"  
  
"Overexertion, plain and simple," Seto answered.  
  
Jounouchi stared at Seto blankly. "That's it? Just over-ex-ertion?" He pronounced. "That answer just sounds too easy for me."  
  
"Sometimes the simple answers are the most accurate," Seto countered.  
  
"So why do you fight? You seem awfully prone to bein' that way."  
  
"For your information, my stamina is above average. I had simply been so busy with schoolwork and...personal affairs that I didn't have the time to rest."  
  
"Yeah, uh-huh. Right. So yer sayin' that sleepin' through Chono's class and insultin' her at every turn is hard work, huh?"  
  
Seto looked away. "Sincere and non-rhetorical questions only, please."  
  
Jounouchi scowled at the other boy before proceeding. "All right...what I want to know next is, why do ya seem to know me?"  
  
Seto's gaze returned to Jounouchi. "What do you mean?"  
  
"What do I mean? When ya transferred to Domino, ya singled me out and made it a point to make fun of me. Right before that, ya kicked my ass when ya had that wig goin' on."  
  
Seto did not respond.  
  
"It's a school night, ya know," Jounouchi reminded impatiently.  
  
Seto took in a deep breath, and faced towards Jounouchi. "Jounouchi...the truth is..."  
  
Jounouchi leaned in closer towards Seto.  
  
"The truth is that I'm very tired, and therefore am going to sleep." He turned away from the dirty blond and rested his head on the pillow. Jounouchi frowned, grabbed Seto by his shoulders and forced him back around. Seto appeared to be absolutely dumbfounded by Jounouchi's reaction, but his face remained cold and unafraid, even as Jounouchi sat atop him.  
  
"You are _not_ getting' out of this one so easily," Jounouchi snarled. "You were stalkin' me, weren't ya? You were followin' and watchin' me, and then decided to come outta hiding! And now that I'm thinkin' about it, with that whole boner thing? You doin' all this 'cause you like me or somethin'? Are you so fucked up that you can't just ask me directly so ya had to stalk me first?"  
  
Seto shut his eyes tightly as he slowly looked away from the dirty blond.  
  
"Dammit, look at me and give me a straight answer!" Jounouchi shook Seto to force him to obey his demands. Seto did not seem to move.  
  
"If ya don't tell me, I just might have to beat it outta ya!" Jounouchi threatened as he raised his fist. Upon hearing this, Seto's eyes instantly snapped open and his right hand struck Jounouchi in the chest with an open- palm strike, the impact sending the other teen out of the bed and crashing against the wall.  
  
Jounouchi rubbed his back as he tried to recall what just happened, and looked up to see Seto still lying on the bed, his right arm extended out in front of him. The brunet was breathing heavily, and his azure eyes appeared to be burning with anger.  
  
Jounouchi rose to his feet. "What the fuck was that for?"  
  
Seto broke his gaze away from Jounouchi. "You threatened me."  
  
"You weren't answerin' my questions, or even sayin' anything."  
  
"That doesn't mean that you threaten someone with a beating just because they won't talk!"  
  
"Well, they were pretty important questions! I had a right to know, and besides; you agreed to answer them!"  
  
"Not with the way you worded them..." Seto's voice was shaking...  
  
"What; should I talk to ya like a kid?" Jounouchi clenched his teeth as he sighed angrily. "Ya know; it's no wonder yer always by yerself...yer fuckin' crazy. Absolutely fuckin' crazy. One minute yer actin' all high and mighty and the next ya space out!"  
  
Jounouchi was too busy grabbing his jacket to notice Seto hunching over, his sienna hair spilling over to obscure his face. Jounouchi glared at the brunet and his anger appeared to slightly subside.  
  
"Shit. Asking ya anything was a big mistake. Ya wanna remain all mysterious that's fine by me...yer gonna be the one all alone and crazy anyway. I'll take care of the tab fer yer stay here...but seriously, look into getting yer head checked." Surprisingly, Jounouchi gently shut the door as he stormed out of the room.  
  
Seto said nothing in response. His hands clutched the think blanket so tightly that his bony knuckles turned white.  
  
"Come in."  
  
Jounouchi entered the office of the safe house, his money in hand. The other occupant turned around away from the large windows to look at Jounouchi, her tanned face appearing more worried than the sultry expression that the dirty blond was used to seeing.  
  
Jounouchi looked away. "So...I guess ya overheard it all, huh July?"  
  
"Your voice carries," The woman mused.  
  
Jounouchi crossed his arms and leaned against the doorjamb. "Not sure what to say, really..."  
  
"That's fine...perhaps I should say something," July replied as she snuffed her cigarette out in the crystal ashtray.  
  
"Whatever you got to say, spill it. I gotta be at school tomorrow, so I can't stay too much longer."  
  
The mature woman brushed away an errant strand of her fiery hair as she moistened her cherry lips.  
  
"Katsuya, I've known you for almost as long as Mai has...she's worried about you, you know."  
  
Jounouchi shut his eyes as he heaved a sigh. "So what else is new?"  
  
"She explained your home life to me. She told me about how you practically raised yourself and about your past affiliation with the Rintama Crashers..."  
  
"Just about everybody knows about all that, July."  
  
"Katsuya...please. Just listen. What I'm trying to say is that Mai is worried that being in the underground is all that you're going to amount to. She's worried that you'll never truly aspire to be anything, or settle down with anyone."  
  
"So basically, she just wants me to go steady with her?" Jounouchi frowned.  
  
July shook her head. "You know as well as she does that a steady relationship between you two wouldn't work. She's a permanent part of the underground, just as much as I am. While it's true that I was the one that brought her into it, it was because she had no other place to go or anyone else to turn to." She smiled. "But that's irrelevant...what I'm getting at is that I agree with her. I think maybe you should start thinking about a more positive future for yourself, and maybe work on your self-esteem while you're at it."  
  
"There's nothing wrong with my self-esteem..."  
  
"You wouldn't have treated that boy the way you did if you felt better about yourself."  
  
"What does yellin' at Hirano have to do with my self-esteem?"  
  
July folded her arms and leaned against her desk. "I'm simply saying that if you were more confident and more optimistic, you'd perhaps stop trying to fight everyone, even when you don't intend to."  
  
Jounouchi said nothing as July turned away to stare out of the window.  
  
"It worries Mai as much as it worries me, Katsuya. Even if you're upset about this, at least think it over. And if you still think we're wrong, then that's your prerogative, and I promise that I won't bring it up ever again."  
  
Jounouchi leaned away from the wall as he approached the desk and dropped the money onto its wooden surface.  
  
"You have a good night, July. Be sure to take care of Hirano; make sure he don't get up until his foot's okay."  
  
The mature woman closed her eyes as Jounouchi stepped out of her office.  
  
____________________________________________________________  
  
SUDDENLY, THE AUTHOR HAD NOTES!  
  
Okay, so y'all are ready to throw numerous objects at Jounouchi for treating Kaiba like he did—but it's all a part of the process, it is, it is. I mean hey—you got some Jounouchi development out of it, right? I want to try to leave the development to the characters rather than the narrative (though I have been at fault for allowing the latter...must improve upon that...) Now, if only we could get to Kaiba...  
  
As for the cameo appearance of the character "July"—she's actually a character from the Konami video game series "Pop 'n Music", which is part of the BEMANI family of music games (most of you may be familiar with one such member of that family—Dance Dance Revolution). She's simply just another hint towards Jounouchi's underground lifestyle, and she's a last- minute addition believe it or not—I was originally going to have Jounouchi take Kaiba to his house, but I had realized that that would have opened up a whole new set of problems (and the reason he could not take him to Mai's will later be explained). So after playing PnM, the idea of Jounouchi having a little safehouse spring to my mind, thus solving that problem. Thank you, Konami!  
  
Oh, and if you didn't know, a MILF is basically the "Hot Mom" type...it means "Mom I'd Like [to] Fuck". :D  
  
Thank you all for reading and for your reviews! Y'all come back now, y'hear? *toast* 


	8. Preaching

(WARNING: This chapter contains mature themes, so remember that this is an "R" rated work, and don't get mad at me if you are appalled by what you read.)  
  
CHAPTER EIGHT: Preaching to the Perverted  
  
As soon as Jounouchi entered his apartment, he was utterly surprised to see his father leaning against the wall that separated the living room from the kitchen.  
  
"Hey...yer not drunk yet or nothin'," Jounouchi greeted as he kicked off his shoes.  
  
"Don't get smart-assed with me, boy. I just got off the phone with yer guidance counselor."  
  
*Fuck. That fucker Tsuruoka probably made some shit up to really get my ass in trouble.* Jounouchi bared his teeth. "Look, it was just a fight—"  
  
Jounouchi's father slammed his fist onto the wall. "Damnit, boy! I don't ask too much from ya. All I ask is that you go to school, and don't screw up. An' by 'don't screw up', that means don't get yer ass suspended!"  
  
"Funny, I don't recall a time when you were _sober_ enough to tell me not to fuck up!" Jounouchi snapped. "Besides, I can get back on Monday, so it's not even long-term or nothin'."  
  
"I oughta look into putting ya under house arrest until ya learn to behave," the elder Jounouchi threatened. "Yer cuttin' up in yer classes when ya bother to show up to 'em and yer grades are a joke. I ain't havin' ya wind up fuckin' up yer future 'cause yer fuckin' around in school, boy!"  
  
Jounouchi picked up his briefcase. "You know, that's fine that you want to lecture me on this, 'dad', but I ain't takin' this shit from someone who's a half-assed lousy excuse for a parent!"  
  
Jounouchi's father appeared as though he was going to commit an act of violence due to the teen's defiance, but instead he threw his arms into the air. "Boy, if I knew you were gonna be this much o' a problem, I'd have left you with Chiaki and taken Shizuka with me instead o' you."  
  
"Oh, because I'm _sure_ you'd be an even better parent to her than ya have been with me!" Jounouchi fumed as he stormed towards his bedroom. "Stop fuckin' blaming shit on me, and take a good damn look at yerself because it was your alcohol problem and your gamblin' problem that drove mom and Shizuka away in the first place! And when you realize all that an' take some responsibility like a man should, then maybe I'll start regardin' you as my father!"  
  
Before his father could even make a reply, Jounouchi slammed his door with enough force to knock down a couple of framed portraits that hung on a wall that was across from Jounouchi's door. Fed up, his father shook his head and headed for the kitchen to grab a beer.  
  
Jounouchi flopped onto his bed, heaving a frustrated sigh at the same time. His eyes glanced outside of the window, staring at the sky as the colours were changing from its daytime sky blue into its nighttime colour of midnight blue, with hues of orange and yellow in between the transition.  
  
*All this sudden talk about _my_ future. First I get lectured by July, and then "dad" decides to give me some shit on how I'm "fucking up" my future. Don't get why everyone's so worried 'bout me. I can take care of myself, in my own way. I don't mind havin' to fight to survive. My classroom's on the streets, not in some stuffy school full of asshole teachers. I wish people would stop givin' me shit about my choices...*  
  
He then turned his amber eyes away from the window, and sat up. Jounouchi reached for his green bedside lamp and pulled the small chain, giving life to the 60-watt bulb that laid inside. Afterwards, he pulled open a drawer, which contained various magazines adorned with the images of barely-clothed women in suggestive positions. Jounouchi smirked as he grabbed two of the magazines, along with a traveler's pack of Kleenex.  
  
*May as well end try to end this shitty day on a good note.*  
  
____________________________________________________________  
  
Since he had arrived home from the safehouse early this morning, Seto had spent the entire day in his bedroom, claiming that he had not been feeling well. Based on that excuse, he had decided not to show up to school today, and he was unsure of whether he was going to bother to show up tomorrow.  
  
Instead, he had been doing some work on his laptop from dawn and even through dusk—that is, he was supposed to be working on his laptop. However, he found that his thoughts were distracted from his work and instead were focused upon a subject that was entirely different-not to mention irrelevant-to the task he was trying to tend to.  
  
The subject of this distraction was that of the dirty blond he had become so familiar to since he had begun his little game. At first, Seto tried to deny that he was even thinking about Jounouchi, especially considering what had happened between them during the previous night. However, he quickly realized that trying to force thoughts of Jounouchi from his mind had the opposite effect.  
  
He thought about how Jounouchi looked in a wife-beater, the way the white article of clothing was so tight on his body that it outlined the shape of his abdominal muscles and pectorals—not to mention the dirty blond's nipples whenever there was the chance moment that they hardened.  
  
He also thought about the way that dirty blond smiled, those lips making way to expose his straight teeth, the way his beautiful amber eyes shone as he smiled, and the way his dyed hair appeared all the more golden whenever he was smiling.  
  
Then his thoughts wandered back to those muscles...and at that point, Seto couldn't take it anymore. He couldn't concentrate on his work so long as he thought about Jounouchi in the way he was currently thinking about him, and thus concluded that he would have to do something about it.  
  
He took a deep breath, and reached for his nightstand drawer, opening it and removing a moderately-sized white handkerchief from the interior of the drawer, and laid it to his left. He glanced at the clock, sighed as he lay back down on his bed, and glanced downwards at his midnight blue silk pajama pants. He finally took a deep breath and allowed his right hand to slowly wander downwards, down from his largely-sized chest to his slender and shapely torso and into his silk pants where the hand found what it had been searching for.  
  
The brunet let out a deep moan as his fingers slowly stroked his length. His eyes were half-lidded in gratification and his teeth sank into his lower lip as his hand continuously worked its talent to bring pleasure to himself, his lurid thoughts of the vigorous amber-eyed blond further encouraging his act. His hand stroked faster and faster as his breathing became more ragged, and his left hand reached upwards pulling his midnight blue top with it to expose his impressively large chest, his pink nipples hardened with the desire and need for his touch.  
  
His left hand obeyed, his fingers' cold touch tantalizing the small buds as they were pinched and caressed, furthering the brunet's feeling of pleasure. Voiceless cries of the name of the subject of his arousal escaped his lips as his right hand continued to pump his length, sending the teen into dizzying heights. He felt as though reality around him was melting away, giving way to something much more...something he could almost describe, until he finally felt the ecstasy of his release. He let out a shuddering, satisfied sigh as he sank back into the bed, his left hand resting on his chest while his right slowly withdrew from its playground.  
  
Seto laid still on his bed for minutes, his mind reflecting upon the individual responsible for arousing him and his body still reveling with the newfound memory of his pleasing act. He slowly reached for his white handkerchief, wiping away the release from his hand and thighs, his longing for the day when he could be pleasured by the one in his thoughts rather than by himself becoming increasingly unbearable.  
  
Jounouchi's lashes fluttered open, his tired amber eyes facing the digital display clock that laid upon his nightstand.  
  
1:19 a.m.  
  
Jounouchi groaned, holding a hand up to his forehead as if he had a headache, then quickly removed his hand to inspect it for any remains from his recent self-pleasuring activity before replacing it onto his forehead when he found nothing.  
  
"Least I got _some_ sleep..." he managed to mutter to himself as he slowly closed his eyes.  
  
"Well, don't count on getting any more tonight," purred a deep voice that was rich with innuendo.  
  
"Wha—?" Jounouchi slowly glanced towards the front of his room in an effort to find out who spoke up. His eyes caught sight of a figure that stood in front of his bed. The figure that stood in front of him was dressed in a tight, black leather top. The top exposed the figure's shoulders; there was the glimmer of nickel-platted "D" rings at the base of each shoulder opening holding straps that hooked the sleeves to the "D" rings. The figure wore shimmering vinyl pants that were open on the sides, exposing the fine outlines of the figure's hips and outer thighs.  
  
Jounouchi narrowed his amber eyes to get a better, more scrutinized look at the figure. The voice was familiar...could it be...?  
  
*Oh my God.*  
  
He then knew.  
  
"OH MY GOD!!!"  
  
He instantly reeled backwards, his back quickly slamming against the wooden headrest on his bed.  
  
"What in the hell are ya doin' here, Hirano?" Jounouchi demanded hysterically as he pointed a shaking finger at the revealed Seto. "How in the hell did ya get in here? Damnit, I can't even sleep without you bothering me—"  
  
Seto rested his hands on his hips; was it just Jounouchi's imagination, or were they thrust out more than usual? "Shhh...you should calm down."  
  
Jounouchi bit his lip. "Yer here, in my room, dressed like ya just attended some bondage party, and I'm supposed to calm down?!" He took a pause to take in a deep breath. "Oh shit! Is this yer secret? Yer into that S&M stuff!"  
  
A seductive smirk decorated Seto's lips. "I'm into anything you want me to be into."  
  
Jounouchi raised a confused brow. "What? Anything I want ya to be into...whaddya mean?"  
  
Seto slowly, sensually, sat upon the left-end side of the dirty blond's bed. "I'm here because you wanted me to be here."  
  
"What?" Jounouchi was really confused now. "I didn't want ya here! I never asked ya to be here!"  
  
"You're such a silly puppy," Seto sighed as he slowly crawled towards Jounouchi. "You're probably just a little afraid because this is your first experience."  
  
"Just what are ya talkin' about? 'First experience'? I have no damn idea as to what yer talkin' about; how did ya get in here...in fact, why're ya here in the first place?"  
  
"I'm here because I want _that_." Seto's lithe finger pointed downwards, directly at the mound that had formed in Jounouchi's pants.  
  
A look of absolute horror fell upon Jounouchi's face when he realized what the brunet was referring to. "Ya mean ya came here to cut if off?! Oh fuck; you _are_ out of your mind—"  
  
Seto immediately placed an index finger over Jounouchi's lips, silencing the panicked cries from the dirty blond.  
  
"I'm not here to cut you off." His lips formed into a wicked smile as he. "I'm here to _suck_ _you_ _off_."  
  
At that instant, Jounouchi woke up and screamed, a magazine entitled "Oral Girls" sliding from his chest.  
  
A loud thumping sound came from the wall on Jounouchi's left, followed by muffled shouting. "Boy! Quit yer shoutin' in there!"  
  
Jounouchi fell back onto the bed, his eyes large.  
  
At 7:15 a.m., the buzzer sounded on cue to signal that it was time to wake up. Jounouchi's fist slammed onto the "snooze" button, his eyes still widened and now bloodshot from the lack of sleep. He was surrounded by several of his "picture" magazines which he had been using in an attempt to "cleanse" his mind of the dream that occurred during the night.  
  
It hadn't worked. The harder the dirty blond tried to purge the image from his mind by viewing the raunchy and lewd visuals in the magazines, the more he thought about the tall brunet in a similarly lewd fashion.  
  
He was unsure of what to even make of the dream. Jounouchi tried to recall a time that he might have looked at another man and found him to be even the least bit attractive, but had recalled no such time ever occurring. Up until last night, any and every object of Jounouchi's fantasies and dreams were always of the fairer sex. What worried-and even scared-Jounouchi more was that the raunchy thoughts of his arrogant classmate were that of a wet dream. The dirty blond had experienced such before, but the difference this time was that it was for another man.  
  
Jounouchi was also confused by something that he was told by Seto in his dream...that he was a little afraid because it was his "first experience". He was not sure what he meant by that. He immediately dismissed the implication that the brunet meant that Jounouchi was a virgin, because he knew that was erroneous. He bit his lip as he tried to search for the correct meaning.  
  
A sudden, loud rapping sound startled Jounouchi back to reality, his eyes rolling downwards, removing the view of the ceiling to replace it with that of his door. He instantly sat up, eyes widened once again as he realized that his collection of pornography was in full plain view.  
  
There was another rapping on the door. "Boy! Could you answer the door?"  
  
Jounouchi hurriedly carried the pile over to his dresser, a few issues falling from of the pile as he did so. He faced the door as he opened the middle drawer. "In a sec, dad! I just woke up!"  
  
Surprisingly, there was no response as Jounouchi snatched up the remaining magazines, throwing them into the drawer and kicking it shut before finally dashing up to the door and turning the knob, throwing the door open. Jounouchi's father frowned disapprovingly as he stared into the disorderly bedroom before looking directly at the dirty blond.  
  
"Listen, boy...I gotta get on over to work. Now, just 'cause yer on suspension, don't mean yer gonna sit around here...but yer a Jounouchi, so ya know that already..." He took a deep breath. "Jus' clean up yer room before ya finally get back to school, huh?"  
  
Jounouchi nodded as he breathed a sigh of relief. "Yeah...no problem."  
  
Jounouchi's father turned around and headed towards the hallway, but he suddenly muttered a swear as he reached into his back pocket and pulled out a small wad of money, and handed it to Jounouchi.  
  
"Be sure to get some groceries with that money. Be sure you get enough to last fer a week. I'll be back sometime tonight, boy."  
  
"Yeah; later..." Using his back, Jounouchi closed the wooden door, sliding down to the floor as he breathed a second sigh of relief. He leaned his head back against the wooden surface, his eyes slowly closing and a slight, sheepish smile forming on his lips. ____________________________________________________________  
  
After taking a much-needed three-hour nap, Jounouchi headed out towards the nearest Tomato grocery store to take care of one of the two favours his father asked him to do, but not before visiting the nearest basketball court and playing a few games with the usual players there.  
  
However; upon leaving the apartment, the dirty blond was disappointed when he was greeted by the sight of falling raindrops and people carrying umbrellas, so he retreated indoors to retrieve his own umbrella, his mood more downtrodden not because he couldn't play basketball today, but because he actually had to act like a responsible teenager today.  
  
Save for the clerk and the shelves stocked with items, the store seemed vacant and it was definitely frigid; the eerie atmosphere sent chills down Jounouchi's spine as he inspected the store's selection of instant cup ramen for flavours he liked and was "pretty sure" that his dad liked to eat. He picked up one of the cups, his eyes squinting as he tried to make out the odd writing that made up the label. He sneered as he turned the package upside-down, and found a label that read "Product of Korea", which made sense as to why Jounouchi was unable to decipher the weird writing on the top side of the package. He tossed it into the shopping basket with the other ramen cups he picked out.  
  
"Hey, 'sup Jounouchi?"  
  
Jounouchi was so startled by the sudden exclamation that he nearly dropped his basket. He turned around, shooting a glare that instantly turned into a sarcastic sneer.  
  
"Higashi, you bastard...man, what're you up to 'round here, huh?"  
  
"Aw, just stocking up on some munchies. You know how that is," Higashi answered with a smile; an act that would be considered uncharacteristic of him to those who only knew by his stoic demeanor at the fights. He made sure to only show his true face amongst his closest more most trusted of friends.  
  
Jounouchi grinned. "Man; if I weren't in enough hot water with the old man, I'd be ridin' the Mary Jane wagon with ya."  
  
"Suspended again, huh?"  
  
Jounouchi nodded as he looked over a bag of shrimp chips. "All I'm sayin' is that Ushio had it comin'. I tell ya, fuckin' authority..."  
  
Higashi chuckled. "Well, it's all in good timing anyway, because I need to tell you something."  
  
Jounouchi paused, turning his gaze to Higashi. "Whatta we got?"  
  
Higashi sucked at his teeth. "Well, you remember last week's fight, when one of the Rintama Crashers showed up?"  
  
"And got owned by that blond that has it in for me? Yeah."  
  
"Well, word traveled fast to Hirutani, and he's calling you out."  
  
Jounouchi smiled wickedly. "He's callin' _me_ out? Tch; he wouldn't last two punches against me, man."  
  
"He's not looking for a fight."  
  
"So what the hell does he want with me, then?"  
  
"He just wants to see just how good you've gotten since you two last brawled. I honestly didn't want to tell you any of this, but at the same time I understand how important it is that you and Hirutani handle your business and get some closure."  
  
Jounouchi tossed three bags of potato crisps into the basket. "In all honesty, I was hopin' he'd give up on me after I put him in the hospital."  
  
"Rather naïve, don't you think?"  
  
"Yeah. So when does he want me to do this, and where?"  
  
"He says to be there tomorrow night, over at the abandoned warehouse in the Rintama district. Says it's going to be similar to the competitions you're used to participating in, but with much higher stakes."  
  
Jounouchi nodded. "Alright. I'll show him just what I'm capable of...and when he sees just how good Jounouchi Katsuya is, he'll be too scared to even be in the same country me."  
  
Carrying three plastic bags consisting of cup ramen, snacking chips, milk, and beef cups and his umbrella for the rain had stopped while he was inside of the store, Jounouchi hurriedly walked home, his adrenaline hitting an all-time high at the thoughts of facing his long-time nemesis and his emotions were a combination of anger and anticipation.  
  
*Hirutani...ya really think ya have what it takes to defeat me this time?* He smiled, shaking his head. *Yer first mistake was overestimatin' yerself. Will you have learned from yer mistakes, I wonder? Or will you be makin' whole new ones? Won't know until we tangle again, I suppose.*  
  
An unexpected ray of sunlight bathed Jounouchi in its luminosity and warmth, causing the dirty blond to look up and see that there were patches of azure in the dominantly gray sky. He smiled; it looked like he would have a chance for basketball after all. He looked away from the sky to glance over at a small park, and suddenly his feet stopped moving.  
  
Sitting upon one of the benches was none other than Seto Hirano. He was wearing a long-sleeved white button-up shirt, black slacks that flared at the knee, and a pair of black-and-blue sneakers, which were a rather odd choice of footwear for the outfit. He sat there, his head lowered and eyes staring into his reflection in a puddle, and black cigarette resting between the index and middle fingers on his right hand. Jounouchi also noticed that he was soaking wet.  
  
Jounouchi was unsure of whether he should approach Seto or simply continue on his way home. He certainly didn't want to bother the brunet but at the same time he was rather curious as to what he was doing out here in the first place. He swallowed as he casually approached Seto, hands still clutching grocery bags and thoughts in a flurry of interest over Seto's situation.  
  
Seto looked up and over at the forthcoming dirty blond, his damp face expressionless.  
  
Jounouchi stopped about a meter in front of the brunet, a smirk on his face and a thick dark brow arched high. He glanced downwards at Seto's moist shirt, noticing that parts of the material were of flesh-coloured patches. He quickly glanced upwards when he was certain that he saw a nipple through the cloth.  
  
"Jounouchi," Seto stated acidly, looking over the blond with disgust.  
  
Jounouchi made a slight pucker of his lips upon hearing the unwelcome greeting, but his smile soon returned. He placed the bags on the opposite side of the bench, but he remained standing. "Ya know Hirano, there comes a time when ya gotta know when to come in out of the rain."  
  
"Thank you for that insightful piece of advice," Seto answered in a biting tone. "Is there a reason as to why you're bothering me?"  
  
"Other than the fact that yer sittin' out here drippin' wet? Hrm. Nope! By the way," Jounouchi pointed towards Seto's right foot with this thumb. "How's yer foot doing?"  
  
"I can walk on it. If you're just here to babble, then _you_ can just keep walking as I have no time to waste with you." Seto placed the black cylinder between his lips, his hands fumbling around his pants in hopes of finding his lighter. He grew increasingly frustrated when he found that he did not bring it with him, and promptly removed the cigarette from his fingers and replaced it into its package.  
  
Jounouchi snickered at the brunet's failed attempt at finding his lighter. "Yer still mad at me about the other night, huh?"  
  
Seto shot a glare unlike any Jounouchi had ever seen. "I believe I have every right to be. You threatened violence upon me."  
  
Jounouchi nodded as he whistled uneasily. "Well, ya ain't getting' any argument from me. Shit; I wasn't even wasted or anythin'. Look; it's real hard for me to say this, especially to you, but...I'm sorry. I don't mean to get all pissed off and frustrated when things don't go over too well. I guess you could consider it a problem I have."  
  
"You don't say."  
  
Jounouchi flinched. "Ouch. I guess I really deserve your coldness this time. Well; I just wanted to let ya know that I'm bein' serious. I shouldn't have gone over the edge like I did, nor should I have said the things I said. Shit; I sound like I really am apologizing for bein' stupid on account of bein' drunk..."  
  
Seto smiled as he shook his head. "And you tell _me_ that I'm the crazy one here, and yet you're standing before me, someone whom you regard as antagonistic, apologizing."  
  
"Well, I figure that I gotta be a man about all this," Jounouchi said with a shrug. "Gotta take responsibility and all that. I dunno; I've been dealing with a lot of shit for the past twenty-four hours...I think it's finally gettin' to me."  
  
"Is that why you aren't in school?"  
  
"What? Naw; I got suspended for fighting." Jounouchi glared at Seto for a moment. "How come yer not in school?"  
  
"I simply didn't feel like going today, and I may not go tomorrow, either."  
  
"And yer parents ain't screamin' bloody murder over that?"  
  
Seto bit his lip as he looked away from Jounouchi. Jounouchi's features softened and he hunched over slightly; he worried that he may have said the wrong thing.  
  
Suddenly, Seto whipped his head in the direction of Jounouchi, strands of his damp hair moving with his motions. "My parents...don't even know that I'm skipping."  
  
Jounouchi did not appear convinced by Seto's answer. "Huh...you just that damn good, huh?" He decided that delving deeper into the matter regarding the brunet's parents wouldn't be wise...  
  
"Of course I am. Besides, I am at the top of the class, if not the entire school; so as long as I continue to bring home good grades, they're happy."  
  
"Well, I'm suspended until Monday. If you think yer up to it, why not come back to school with me on Monday? We can give Chono a reason to really down her aspirin," Jounouchi invited with a mischievous grin.  
  
"Are you asking me out on a date?" Seto asked with a yawn.  
  
Jounouchi was instantly taken aback by the question. "What?"  
  
Seto rolled his eyes. "I was being sarcastic, "swift"."  
  
Jounouchi felt alleviated by the rather sardonic answer, if only temporary. "Oh. Right; I knew that."  
  
"Hn." Seto looked away from the dirty blond, his arms clutching tightly to himself as a cold breeze caused the brunet to shiver. Suddenly, he felt something warm and weighty land on his head; Seto gingerly took hold of the unknown object, removing it from his head so he could properly identify it. The object was that of a large green leather jacket—the very same one that Jounouchi wore moments before. He looked over at the dirty blond, whose right hand remained extended.  
  
Jounouchi chuckled. "Don't want you catchin' a cold, now. You can go ahead and borrow it for however long ya'd like."  
  
"Jounouchi," Seto rasped, his eyes looking into his reflection into the small pool, "Just what do you hope to gain by acting this way towards me?"  
  
Jounouchi looked up into the decreasingly cloudy sky as if the answers laid there. "Well," Jounouchi finally started as he looked down at Seto again, "I think I just figured it out. I think maybe if I act human around you, then maybe, _maybe_ you'll act the same way as well."  
  
"How very optimistic of you," Seto flatly stated.  
  
"Yeah; how very optim...opt...whatever ya said," Jounouchi replied obliviously as he grabbed his groceries. "I'll see you in school on Monday, Hirano."  
  
As Jounouchi briskly departed, Seto remained seated on the bench, confused and yet curious about what could have possibly motivated the dirty blond to perform a metaphorical one-eighty. His grip tightened onto the green jacket as he inhaled its musk of cigarette smoke and what could only be identified by some kind of cheap cologne.  
  
Suddenly, the brunet smiled rather coyly. "Alright, Jounouchi. Duel Second. Let's rock..."  
  
END OF PART ONE: BAD GUY  
  
AUTHOR'S NOTES  
  
The introductory part of Contrast has been wrapped up...you've become acquainted with Jounouchi, you've only gotten a glimpse of Kaiba—from here on, you're going to be learning a lot more about these two, including more of their pasts and true motivations—and feelings. Part 2 starts with chapter nine...  
  
Once again, Jounouchi and his father are at odds, but I wanted to show a side of Jounouchi's father that is not often shown, period. Despite the fact that Jounouchi's father is a negligent SOB, I believe he is also a man full of regret as he is the sole reason for breaking up the family due to his inability to deal with his personal problems, but is still incapable of putting his life back together, as is reflected by his daily activities. Many of you may disagree with my view on the elder Jounouchi, but I base him on my own dealings from my personal experiences. Thank you in advance for understanding.  
  
As for Kaiba—he's horny as hell, plain and simple. I hope you didn't find his scene to be pointless as I included the scene to delve deeper into his rather puzzling persona. Considering how angry Jounouchi made him, it's a wonder why he would even be thinking about that boy in the first place. Speaking of Jounouchi and his-ahem-dream, all I'm saying is that you should pretty much guess where this will wind up leading him, and that I hope you enjoy the ride. *wink* Regarding the meeting between the two, I had wanted to place the scene into Chapter 9, but I felt again that it would be too much of an interruption—so consider yourselves lucky. :D  
  
Anyway, thank you again for taking the time to read Contrast and taking the time to leave a review. I hope you continue your support of this project. P.S. Bonus toast goes to whoever can guess where the line "Duel second. Let's rock." is taken from! :D 


	9. Beautiful Like a Girl

CONTRAST BLUE, PART II: Spent-Shells and Heartstrings  
  
CHAPTER NINE: Beautiful Like a Girl  
  
"Aaagh!" Jounouchi sat bolt upright, his breathing almost as heavy as his heart was beating. He snatched the blanket up to look downwards and shrank back when he saw the rise in his boxers.  
  
For the second night in a row, Jounouchi had a wet dream about Seto Hirano. He fell back onto his bed; his eyes squeezed shut as he tried not to recall any portion of the dream that woke him up.  
  
He then wanted to punch himself; trying not to think about the dream was the last thing he should have done. He glanced down to see if the mound in his boxers had settled, his expression uneasy when he had seen that it had not. He swung his legs over the bed and arose, stumbling towards the dresser where he had stuffed his magazines and promptly opened the drawer.  
  
The blond shuffled through the disorderly pile in hopes of finding the right magazine to disrupt the thoughts of the male that plagued his mind. He reached up a magazine entitled "Busty Babes", a look of glee upon his face as he was ready to thumb through it—  
  
--when his thoughts took a moment to remind him of the way that wet white shirt clung onto Seto's own impressive chest from earlier that day. Jounouchi tossed the magazine back into the drawer as if it was a moldy sandwich. Unwilling to give up he continued digging through the drawer, picking up a magazine and promptly rejecting it when another impure fantasy about the blue-eyed brunet flashed through Jounouchi's mind.  
  
He had nearly given up when he saw a magazine at the bottom of the pile; its title was "Oral Girls". Jounouchi grimaced at the magazine.  
  
This is what got me into this mess in the first place. He grabbed the magazine, rolling it as if he were about to discipline a misbehaving dog, and tossed it into his rather empty trash can. He walked back to his bed, taking a seat along the edge of it, and hunched over in deep thought.  
  
It was going to take more than pornography to solve this problem.  
  
When it was finally morning, Jounouchi crawled out of bed, his hair mussed and his plain white Hanes T-shirt completely disheveled. He walked over to his dresser and opened the bottom drawer, revealing his many pairs of blue jeans which varied from barely worn to simply worn and torn. They all appeared as though they were literally, carelessly thrown into the dresser. Jounouchi reached into the drawer and pulled out the first pair that he could get a good grip on, huddled over to his bed and sat down, putting the baggy jeans on slowly and carefully. He stood up to zip and button them up, and immediately rested his hands in his pockets.  
  
He felt something in the back right pocket.  
  
Puzzled, Jounouchi's hand scrambled inside of the pocket until finally getting ahold of the mystery object and pulling out his enclosed fist upon snagging it. He slowly opened uncurled his fingers, and was quite taken aback at what laid perfectly in the center of his hand.  
  
Seto's locket.  
  
Jounouchi tried to recall how that trinket wound up with him, when he immediately recalled their last encounter...in order to break out of Seto's tightening and painful hold, he had snagged it in hopes of distracting the brunet, and it had worked.  
  
Why do I still have this? Jounouchi thought to himself as he looked over the item. I meant to give this back to him when we were at July's, but I guess I was just too caught up in things. Shit; does he know that I still have this? He paused. Probably not, since he didn't bring it up when I saw him yesterday...huh. He was pissed off when I snagged it from him...wonder why he didn't even bring it up yesterday. I'll see him in school Monday, though...so I ain't gotta worry too much...unless he decides to up and snap my arm.  
  
He headed towards his closet as he pocketed the locket. He opened the door, quickly stepping aside as various clothes and toys spilled out onto the floor. Jounouchi glared at the mess, groaning when he reminded himself that his dad wanted him to clean up the mess in his room before Monday. He muttered a swear as he kicked the pile back into the closet, grasped a blue denim jacket, and quickly slammed the door shut before any of the items could spill out once more.  
  
He drummed his fingers against the door, rolling his eyes at the thought of how much work he really had to get done for the sake of "daddy" before returning to school.

* * *

Jounouchi inhaled deeply as he stood in front of the nightclub that he frequented, "Ivory Cutter". The establishment catered to the most classy and unique of Domino's clientele on a nightly business, giving them a place to relax, sit back, and have a drink and forget their daily troubles for a moment. If it weren't for Jounouchi's personal-and intimate-ties with its owner and operator, he would not have even been allowed anywhere near the premises due to his immaturity.  
  
Jounouchi gently tapped upon the door, glancing to his left and to his right to ensure that he was not followed. He then glanced at his watch; it was likely too early for the proprietor to allow him entry to the establishment. He tapped his foot, placed his hands into the back pockets on his denim jeans, whistling a tune entitled "Twisted Nerve"; he had heard it in an American movie he had recently seen.  
  
Suddenly, he heard the familiar clicking sounds of locks being set into the opposite position, and he instantly ceased his whistling as he stood straight, resting his hands at his sides. The door opened partially, but it was enough to reveal the half of a female's face—a welcomed view in Jounouchi's eyes.  
  
"Katusya?" The sultry voice asked almost quizzically, "What brings you here at this time?"  
  
Jounouchi, suddenly appearing uncomfortable, scratched the back of his head. "I, uh...I have a serious emergency, Mai. Really need to talk to ya."  
  
The woman, better known as Mai Kujaku, pulled the door open, revealing her lavish face and body to the dirty blond. Jounouchi always admired how the older woman was able to stand so proudly and yet look so desirable at the same time. Her bouncy, luxuriously curly hair was dyed a shimmering golden colour, her eyes fitted with lavender contact lenses and her lips shimmering with a matching gloss. She was dressed in a violet corset and black capris.  
  
"What's bothering you, Katsuya?" She lowered her voice to a whisper. "Are the crashers after you again?"  
  
"If it were only that simple," Jounouchi answered, appearing uneasy. "I need some serious advice."  
  
Mai rested her hands upon her voluptuous hips. "I...beg your pardon? Perhaps you should come inside." She stepped aside as she showed the dirty blond inside, gesturing to him to take a seat at the bar.  
  
"So, just what exactly has been bothering you?" Mai inquired as she closed the door.  
  
Jounouchi leaned against the counter's surface with his elbow. "Well...ya remember the other night, when I told ya 'bout that blond bastard that beat me up?"  
  
Mai nodded as she locked the door. "Yes."  
  
"And ya remember when I told ya about that new student at school, Hirano?"  
  
Mai approached the bar. "I sure do."  
  
A sheepish grin crept upon the dirty blond's face. "Turns out that they're both one an' the same. The man keeps a lotta secrets...I wonder if 'Hirano' is even is real name, ya know?"  
  
Mai raised a skeptical brow as she seated herself onto the adjacent stool. "Is that what this 'serious emergency' is all about?"  
  
Jounouchi shook his head, taking a deep breath in an attempt to build up enough courage to reveal his problem. "For the past two nights, I've been havin'...I've been havin' these dreams about Hirano."  
  
Mai leaned closer against surface, her breasts appearing to nearly pop out of her corset; Jounouchi took notice of this and immediately glanced away. "Is it safe for me to assume that we're not talking the usual, run-of-the- mill innocent dreams?"  
  
"Oh, we're talking 'wet dream' territory here, Mai," Jounouchi gulped.  
  
Mai's jaw gaped open upon hearing Jounouchi's surprising admittance, her eyes full of surprise. "You had a wet dream about another man?"  
  
Jounouchi held up his index and middle fingers. "Two, to be exact. Like I told ya, it's been goin' on fer the past two nights...it's really botherin' me, too. I tried to look at my porno to get it outta my head, but it only made things worse."  
  
"That is definitely unusual," Mai pondered aloud as she reached for a package of Camel brand cigarettes. "This is especially unusual for you, as I would never think of you as the type to think about another man in that way."  
  
"You think I find it to be normal myself?" Jounouchi threw his arms up into the air.  
  
"Shh, lower your voice please," Mai reminded. "Perhaps we could try to get to the root of things. Describe him for me."  
  
"Ya want me to describe Hirano? How's that gonna help?"  
  
"Just describe him. I can study your way of describing him, and perhaps I can help shed some light on all this."  
  
"If you say so," Jounouchi sighed with a shrug of his shoulders. "Let's see...where do I start? Ah, right...his full name's Seto Hirano...but he hates being called Seto for some reason. I don't think Hirano is his last name anyway...He's tall; real tall. I'd say that he's six-foot one or six-two. He's got long legs as a result. He's also real thin, too, and pale. Boy don't look like he gets enough to eat. He's also got a noticeably large chest and he likes to show that off, if his fashion is of any indication."  
  
Mai nodded. "How about his face; his hair?"  
  
"Huh?" Jounouchi was caught by surprise by that inquiry. "Well...his face is a little long. Not terribly, but you can tell it's longer than most peoples' faces. Pro'lly 'cause he's so skinny. He looks...he's like, 'beautiful like a girl' type. He's got brown hair that's done up in a style where it's short 'cept for the right side of his face, where it's long enough to cover it up. He's also got these pouty lips, which looks just plain wicked when he smiles." Jounouchi paused to take a deep breath. "Then there're those eyes of his. They're this weird shade of blue, and I'm confused by that 'cause I'm real good at bein' able to tell if someone's wearin' contacts, but his look like they could be real."  
  
Mai nodded once again as she pulled out a cigarette from the package. "Anything else, like his personality?"  
  
"Oh man," Jounouchi groaned as he ran his left hand through his hair. "His personality...I swear, I think he has it set on 'piss Jounouchi off twenty- four seven'. Seriously; he's so fuckin' arrogant and a smart-ass; always showin' it off and pissin' off the teacher, which is pretty funny though since I can't stand Chono. But yeah; he pisses me off and I'm sure he does that to me on purpose."  
  
For the third time, Mai nodded as she reached for her Zippo lighter. "That's quite an analysis, I must say".  
  
"Whaddya mean by that?"  
  
"There's certain things you said in your description that could make sense of your recent...predicament," Mai answered as she placed the cigarette between her lips, ignited the lighter's flame and placed it in front of her cigarette, sparking the stick to life.  
  
Jounouchi sat there, dumbfounded. "So...?"  
  
Mai took a long drag of the cigarette, her lilac eyes remaining locked on Jounouchi's amber eyes as a puff of smoke slowly escaped from her lips. "Could there have been an incident between you two that have triggered these sudden, recurring dreams?"  
  
"Yer changin' the subject."  
  
"I'm merely taking a scenic route." Mai smirked.  
  
"Alright, alright," Jounouchi conceded as he shook his head. "About a night before the first dream happened, Hirano and I were fightin'. Again. Anyway, I tackled him to the ground, and I had 'im in a hold, right? So I was on top of him, and the son-of-a-bitch got a boner!"  
  
Mai raised a brow. "Continue..." She sounded intrigued.  
  
"I was just like 'what the fuck'?! No dude has ever boned me before! After that...after that, I started getting' those dreams one night later."  
  
"I see." Mai took a quick drag of her cigarette. "It sounds like Hirano is physically attracted to you."  
  
"Say WHAT?!" Jounouchi recoiled. "So yer sayin' that he's a queer? Ohhh, shit." Jounouchi hunched over, his forehead touching the surface of the counter. "Ya know, that explains a hell of a lot. I once tried to show Hirano some porno from my stash, and then the bastard snatched it from me and smacked me 'round with it like—in his words—a 'naughty puppy'."  
  
Mai took another quick drag of her cigarette. "I'm also suspecting that you feel the same way towards him."  
  
An unusual silence fell upon Jounouchi the instant he heard Mai's analysis; he stared at her as if she had just announced to him that she was carrying his baby.  
  
"M...m...Ho...Wh...Why?" The dirty blond fumbled with the words as the news was still settling in. "Is...is there a reason yer sayin' that I'm a queer?"  
  
"I said nothing about you being a queer, Katsuya." Mai snuffed the cigarette out into a crystal ashtray. "I simply said that you may just have an attraction for Hirano. There's such a thing as being bi, you know."  
  
"But...there's just no way I could be attracted to him."  
  
"Well, you did describe him as being beautiful like a girl."  
  
"That was just my way of describin' him!"  
  
"Well; if it's any consolation, you're not really a queer until you're the one who's receiving."  
  
"Yer not helpin'", Jounouchi muttered as he stood. "Ya know, I gotta be makin' a big deal about this. Once I get the newest issue of 'Bikini Bitches', I'll be dreamin' of big-breasted babes once again."  
  
"You sound so sure."  
  
"...I am," Jounouchi muttered as he retreated for the door.  
  
"Your hesitation really shows your sincerity." Mai sighed as she too left her seat. "Katsuya, bullshitting people isn't my style. If I've upset you because I've told you something you didn't want to hear—"  
  
"That ain't it," Jounouchi interrupted with a shake of his head. "I just...it's just that I don't see myself as bein' the kind that likes another man."  
  
Mai's lips formed a tight line as she approached the dirty blond. "I can only tell you what I know just by how you speak of someone and how you react to him, even if it's on a subconscious level. There's no real control over your feelings; if you are indeed developing feelings for this Hirano, then perhaps you should just go with it—fighting it won't do you much good anyway."  
  
Jounouchi sneered. "Fighting's what I do best...I can't just give up without doin' a damn thing."  
  
"Sometimes, you don't need to fight to win. I wish you'd realize that, Katsuya."  
  
Jounouchi turned to face Mai. "Much as I appreciate the attempt at the advice you were tryin' to give me, I didn't come here for no lecture. July told me all about how you wanted me t' settle down." He shook his head with a smile. "I mean shit; ya pro'lly told me what ya did in hopes of me even remotely considerin' tryin' a relationship out. Maybe you really were bullshittin' me."  
  
"I'd like to think that I'm more rational than that, Katsuya. While I don't approve of how you choose to live, I won't say anything in an attempt to sway you. However, if you honestly feel that my feelings are getting in the way of my ability then I won't waste my time trying to convince you otherwise. You're so damn hard-headed; there's no telling you otherwise anyway...just be sure to close the door on your way out." She turned around to  
  
"Right." Jounouchi promptly unlocked and opened the door, carefully closing it behind him as he stepped outside. Mai lit another cigarette as she approached the door and slowly fastened the locks. She leaned closer to the door, resting her forehead against the wooden surface and eyes closed tightly as if she were in anguish.

* * *

BAM!!!  
  
Jounouchi's foot connected to the garbage can, sending the receptacle crashing against a brick wall, its contents spilling out onto the ground. Jounouchi then turned his foot towards a cardboard box, launching it towards an unsuspecting dumpster. He then slammed the side of his fist against a wall as if it were someone he hated; he leaned close and rested his head against his forearm.  
  
Dammit, dammit, DAMMIT! Just who am I really mad at anyway? Mai, just 'cause she's lookin' out fer me? Myself, fer comin' off real vulernable? Or Hirano, who's always teasin' me and sendin' off mixed signals...shit. Maybe it's just that I'm so fuckin' stressed. I need to catch a fuckin' break. I need...I need to see Shizuka. She'd know how to get me back to my senses.  
  
Jounouchi let out a deep exhale as his amber eyes looked up into the asure sky, a sense of longing nearly overwhelming him.  
  
Shizuka...I hope yer doin' alright where ya are. Big bro'll be seein' ya soon enough.  
  
He turned towards the exit of the alley and immediately stopped.  
  
Obstructing Jounouchi's exit were four teenaged punks, half of whom were brandishing weapons; their stares were locked onto the dirty blond and their fists held close to their sides. One punk was of medium height with spiked hair, another was slightly taller and wore his dark hair slicked back, the third was roughly the same height as the second and had dyed red hair, and the fourth was much larger; clearly the muscle of the quartet. All wore the gray Rintama High uniforms.  
  
Jounouchi sneered. "Tch. Dunno what the hell you guys want, but ya caught me in a real bad mood."  
  
Toyama glowered at the dirty blond as he flipped the unsheathed switchblade in his hand. "We were gonna wait 'til you got to th' warehouse before we wailed on ya, but then I remembered: I hate yer attitude, I hate yer face, and I hate you. Hell; we all do, so we may as well beat you down right here."  
  
"Guys, I gotta tell ya; this is the worst attempt at an ambush I ever saw," Jounouchi dismissed, a smirk on his face. "If you were gonna jump me, you shoulda just done it. Now ya really got yerselves at a disadvantage, what with my bad mood 'n all."  
  
"You shittin' me?" Toyama scoffed. "It's four-against-one, blondie, and alleys ain't the most spacious place to fight in. Besides, we're the fuckin' Crashers; yer the one at a disadvantage."  
  
"Tch; y'all ain't nothin' but a buncha pussies. I was the only reason that the Crashers were feared, or did ya forget? I'll have ya down and out, and ya can tell Hirutani that if he wanna see me so bad, he can seek me out. I ain't jumpin' through no hoops for 'im."  
  
Toyama spit out his cigarette. "Hirutani's gonna fuckin' mess ya up worse than ya did him."  
  
"He c'n threaten me all he wants! I know how good I am!" Jounouchi raised his fists. "Now, are ya'll gonna just keep talkin' or can I pummel my way through, huh?"  
  
Toyama and the other three punks responded by charging towards the dirty blond, who remained in his stance. The dark-haired punk tried his luck first by lunging his fist at Jounouchi, but the dirty blond easily evaded the punch and quickly shoved his fist into the attacker's abdomen, quickly taking the fight out of him.  
  
"Five seconds into this and I already got one; who's next?" Jounouchi taunted.  
  
"Bastard!" The "red-head" tried his luck; surely the brass knuckles he had equipped would give him better odds. He faked left and instantly threw his fist outwards. Jounouchi caught the punch in his left hand.  
  
"Brass Knuckles?" Jounouchi glared at the "red-head" as if he had just told a poor joke. "Take that shit somewhere else!" Jounouchi swiftly pulled the punk towards him and landed a head-butt, knocking the punk unconscious.  
  
"D-dammit," Toyama stammered as Jounouchi approached him.  
  
"What's wrong, man? Ya wanted a fight, but yer not even forcin' me to use my all! If this is the best ya got, then you can tell Hirutani to just forget about it! I ain't gonna waste my time fightin' him if he's as sloppy as you guys are!" Jounouchi grinned as he cracked his knuckles.  
  
"I'll fuckin' kill you!" Toyama suddenly pulled out a switchblade; Jounouchi barely had time to react as he dodged the punk's swipe attack. Toyama used the element of surprise to his advantage, swiping a second time and successfully slashing at Jounouchi's right arm, leaving a tear in the jacket and drawing blood.  
  
Jounouchi leapt backwards as he inspected his sleeve. He looked back to Toyama, his amber eyes full of rage.  
  
"Motherfucker; I liked this jacket." The dirty blond threw off the jacket, but he didn't toss it aside; instead he held it tightly in his right hand.  
  
"What'sa matter, Jounouchi? Too much of a man to actually fight right?" Toyama taunted. "That was always yer problem...always goin' around like you were just such a man just 'cause you wanted that 'fair fight' bullshit. We're the motherfuckin' Crashers. Fightin' fair ain't nowhere near our vocabulary."  
  
"Then maybe that's why I never really fit in; couldn't be with your crew no more...y'all were just plain dirty, and I don't need that kinda image. Unlike y'all, I got honour in me. I actually got someone to live for."  
  
"Well ain't that sweet? You ain't got shit, Jounouchi. It's time we put you down—for good!"  
  
Toyama used his strength to dash towards Jounouchi at an alarming speed, his knife held at mid-level so he could strike upwards into Jounouchi's abdomen. He was no more than five feet in front of the dirty blond when he thrust out his arm. Jounouchi made no movement—  
  
--until the very last second, when the very tip of the bloodthirsty blade was only millimeters close to his ribcage, that he made his move. He spun around to his right, completely evading Toyama while wrapping his jacket around the punk's arm in the process. Before Toyama could even fully grasp the unexpected turn of events, Jounouchi yanked back on the jacket with all of his strength, forcing Toyama's arm back with such force the arm was dislocated from its socket as a result.  
  
Toyama howled in pain for only a moment; a swift knee-strike to his head immediately rendered him unconscious. The punk staggered and then came crashing down onto the ground, landing on the unbroken arm.  
  
Jounouchi knelt down and grasped his blue jacket as he kept a careful eye on Toyama. He whistled as he inspected his shirt, aware of how close he had been to death only moments ago. He was used to it. He glanced downwards at the downed punk, his gaze a strange mix of disgust and satisfaction.  
  
Assholes. If that broken arm don't tell Hirutani to back the fuck off, then I'm gonna fuck him up 'Kill Bill' style...Huh. I only see three of 'em...guess the big one turned tail and ran off, the pussy. Aw well. Three outta four ain't so bad...  
  
Jounouchi was unaware that the fourth, larger punk had managed to find concealment behind a dumpster while the dirty blond tangled with the other Rintama punks. He had already begun to make his slow advancement upon Jounouchi, careful to avoid broken glass and stepping over one of the fallen punks. He smiled as he interlaced his fingers and raised his fists over his head; surely a surprise double-knuckle hammer would overtake Jounouchi for certain.  
  
However; the larger punk did not get the chance to put his surprise attack into motion. Instead, an unseen assailant unleashed his own surprise attack on the lummox by striking the punk with a series of kicks to his abdomen and face, followed with a final high kick that swiftly and successfully connected with his jaw heel-first, knocking him sky high.  
  
This unexpected turn of events had happened so quickly that by the time Jounouchi even realized that someone was behind him and turned around, fists raised in defense, the large punk crashed to the ground.  
  
Jounouchi was stunned; who could have possibly given him aid in such a secluded battle?  
  
"Honestly...don't you know that you should never show your back to your opponent?"  
  
Jounouchi instantly recognized the arrogant, taunting tone that lay behind the voice.  
  
"Hirano?!"

* * *

AUTHOR'S NOTES  
  
The new storyline has begun, but it's not until chapter 10 that things really pick up, with the cameo appearance of the next major player in the series. Jounouchi has a lot to deal with on his plate now, especially since his old gang is calling him out, but also he still has to come full circle with his feelings for Kaiba, who will also be dealing with a life-or-death situation of his own.  
  
I had been asked if this fanfic would have Jounouchi as seme rather than his "better-known" position of being uke. The answer to this is "Abso- fucking-lutely". Personally, I tire of reading fan fictions where Jounouchi has to bottom out to Kaiba—I can understand why, but it's at the point where it's "been there, done that". I personally see Jounouchi as being "macho" and direct (most Jounouchis I've seen in fan fictions lack that machismo; in fact, he's a total wuss!) Besides, why should Kaiba do all the work all the time? ;) Anyway, This seems to be somewhat controversial, as people are not used to Jounouchi being the seme. I am sorry, but I write the characters based on my own personal views, not on how much I want to please people. Please respect this.  
  
Anyway, I hope you have enjoyed this series so far. Toast goes to "The Almighty God" for correctly guessing the quote reference (From the game "Guilty Gear"), with an honourary English Muffin for KarribuHater5, for the random yet notable mention. PEACE!! 


	10. Blond Under Stress

INTERLUDE  
  
A match was struck to life, its flame giving its own life to a large red candle before being shaken to death and listlessly tossed aside. The light provided by the candle illuminated the room just enough for the person to navigate through without walking into something, though the room merely contained a modestly sized table and chair, a bed, and a nightstand with a lamp by its side. The bulb had burnt out and the owner of the establishment had not cared enough to change it, so the person had to make do with a candle he had purchased earlier in the day.  
  
On the table laid a rifle with a scope attached on the top—undoubtedly a sniper's rifle, two handguns; a Desert Eagle and a CZ-75, two combat knives, about twelve loaded gun clips and magazines, and a kit for cleaning the handguns.  
  
The figure walked over to a wall, pinning against it a 4x4 sized colour photograph. He then walked back towards the table, took hold of his sniping rifle and aimed it at the picture, the red-dot laser indicating where the bullet would land once the trigger was pulled. The figure's right gray eye closed tightly in order to aim properly as his right index finger hovered just millimeters above the trigger in anticipation.  
  
He pulled the trigger, but no shot was fired. He had not intended to actually fire a shot for he left the gun unloaded--he was simply testing his aim and his ability to actually shoot his target. His lips curled into a smile as he walked up to the photograph and yanked it from the wall, his emotionless ash eyes fixated upon the photograph.

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CHAPTER TEN: Blond Under Stress  
  
"Hi...Hirano?" Jounouchi could not believe the sight that lay in front of him. The brunet had managed to defeat the hulking brute with seemingly little effort...  
  
"You're staring at him; yes," Seto replied with an arrogant tone. He unfolded his arms and rested them upon his hips.  
  
Jounouchi appeared to be quite surprised by the ensemble that Seto was wearing. He wore an ebony top that exposed much more of his large chest than any other outfit Jounouchi had ever seen him wear before. The top was decorated with an oversized collar that matched the colour of the top save for the contours, which were outlined with a blue plastic trim; below the collar was a blue zipper that could only be zipped up to where Seto's chest ended, allowing for the extra exposure. The cuffs of the long sleeves were unbuttoned, creating a loose and flowing appearance.  
  
The pants matched the top perfectly. The lose-rise button-up pants were tight on the upper legs and flared out past the knees, giving it an appearance like "bell-bottom" style pants. There were zippers that rested at the base of the knees, their purpose to control how much "flare" were given to the pants. From the base of the knee to the end was a strip of blue material, creating a triangular shape against the black of the pants. On each side of the legs were three 2-inch wide strips of blue plastic that ran from his hips to where his thighs ended.  
  
Jounouchi whistled. "That's quite some outfit." He realized what he had just said and literally shook his head as if he was trying to get the comment out of his head. "Wh-what I mean is...how did ya find me?"  
  
"By chance, if you can believe it," Seto casually answered as he folded his arms again. "I had been trying to find you, but I had no idea where you were. I was ready to give up and wait until Monday when I saw a group of punks heading towards an alley, and I figured if there was a fight surely you couldn't be far behind." He smiled.  
  
"Ya know, yer not the first to say that about me."  
  
"I doubt I'll be the last."  
  
Jounouchi sneered as he swiped his blue denim jacket from the ground. "Heh. So just why did ya want to see me anyway?"  
  
"I came here seeking a rematch with you, plain and simple."  
  
Jounouchi raised a brow. "Is that all? Shit; much as I'd like to go for it, this just isn't the time. Besides, won't you pass out?"  
  
Seto narrowed his eyes. "Not this time."  
  
"You sound so sure."  
  
"I am," Seto insisted as he inspected his finely manicured fingernails.  
  
"Well, this ain't the time to do it. 'Sides, I got a battle tomorrow; why not just challenge me then?"  
  
"I have personal matters to attend to tomorrow."  
  
Jounouchi raised a thick brow. "Business, huh? What kinda business?"  
  
"None of yours."  
  
"Tch. By the way, ya gonna give me that jacket back, right? I rather like that thing." Jounouchi paused as he glanced at his denim jacket. "Poor bastard. Eh; I could patch that up."  
  
"Why don't I take care of that for you?" Seto offered, his head purposely facing a different direction.  
  
"I'm sorry...did ya just offer to do somethin' nice for me?"  
  
"Hn. Don't get your hopes up. I'm simply repaying that debt I owe for that jacket you lent to me."  
  
Jounouchi snickered.  
  
"And just what is so funny?" Seto demanded as he folded his arms.  
  
"It's just...Oh man," Jounouchi shook his head. "You totally had a human moment there. Who knew that Seto Hirano could have a human moment?"  
  
"Don't get used to it," Seto stated flatly as he snatched the jacket from Jounouchi. "I know someone that can get this fixed, and I'll have it for you Monday."  
  
Jounouchi put on a modest smile as his hands rested in his back pockets. "Must be the same person that did up your school uniform, huh?" He felt something in the right pocket, triggering a reminder. "Oh! By the way, I have somethin' that belongs to ya.."  
  
Seto raised a quizzical brow as Jounouchi dug into his pocket, pulling out an object and promptly tossing it towards Seto. Seto nonchalantly held up his right forearm in a forty-five degree angle, palm forward as the object landed directly onto his hand. His thin fingers quickly enclosed around the object to ensure that it would not fall, then held his hand in front of him and quickly uncurled his fingers to see what the object was. He appeared surprised.  
  
"Ya know, consderin' how pissed off ya were when I took that, I would think that you'd be after me to get that back."  
  
Seto shot a glare at Jounouchi as he attached the locket around his neck. "I had expected you to slip it into your jacket when you lent it to me...I figured that would have been your only alibi for lending it to me in the first place, but I can see that I was—"he found the next word to be rather difficult to say. "—wrong."  
  
"You? Wrong?" Jounouchi took a pause to chuckle. "So, there's really such a thing with you? Man, you really must be human!"  
  
Seto smirked rather coyly as he slowly turned around. "Hn. If you're finished, then I shall be going."  
  
"Wait; I have to ask you one more thing."  
  
Seto glanced over his shoulder. "Hrm?"  
  
Jounouchi hunched over, placing his hands into his pockets and looking in the opposite direction, a shade of blush on his cheeks. "What...do you..."  
  
"What do I...?" Seto trailed; he did not appear amused as he frowned.  
  
"What do you...think...of me?"  
  
Seto's unreadable stare made the dirty blond nervous, but he braced himself for the sardonic answer that was sure to come.  
  
Seto took a deep breath. "Jounouchi Katsuya...I think...I think that you are loud, annoying, and I find your brashness an easy target for my own amusement." He curled his lips into a wicked smile.  
  
Jounouchi appeared surprised. "R-really? That's all?"  
  
"What; you expected me to say that I find you hot and that I want you to fuck me?" Seto scoffed rhetorically as he continued his departure.  
  
Jounouchi laughed. "Oh, shit! If ya said that, I'd have to punch ya!" He quickly glanced away, his laugh descending into nervousness. If ya did say that and meant it, I just might not be able t'sleep fer the rest of my life!  
  
"I just got a new thought, puppy," Seto declared. "I think you need to lay off of the blond dye."   
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
Sunshine beamed into the classroom of Class-B at Domino High as the students were at their leisure, either playing on their portable hand-held games, discussing the latest gossip, or getting in a quick nap before the teacher walked in. Seated in the middle of the classroom was Anzu, Honda, and Otogi, discussing the latest gossip involved within their own circle of friends. Otogi was seated sideways in a chair, Anzu sat atop of the desk, and Honda was leaning against an adjacent desk.  
  
"—and then Mariko whipped out the Hello Kitty vibrator, just to prove that she wasn't bullshitting me," Otogi explained as he twirled a lock of his jet black hair between his index finger and thumb.  
  
"So she showed it off," Anzu replied with a slight nod of her head. "Did it make you hot?"  
  
Otogi whistled. "I can't really say. I mean, Mariko is definitely the looker of Class D...but that particular choice of vibrator is just kinda...weird."  
  
"She probably just bought it to show it off," Honda replied. "For all you know, she probably has one of those 'rabbit' vibrators."  
  
"Ooh; those are just so damn good," Anzu stated with a satisfied smile. Honda and Otogi stared.  
  
Anzu glared back at them. "Oh; like men are the only ones who get really horny!"  
  
"Would explain why you skip out during lunch," Otogi noted as he pulled out Anzu's binder. He cleared his throat and added, in a high-pitched voice, " 'Oh Spike! I want to have your love child! Please let me be your love bride!'" He exposed a portrait of a man with bleached white hair, pouty lips, noticeably pronounced cheekbones, icy blue eyes, and was wearing a black duster. On the picture, written in Anzu's handwriting with a paint pen, was the word "spikeluv".  
  
"I will have your dick for that," Anzu growled as she snatched the binder from the dark-haired teen, punching him in the arm in the process.  
  
"Man; you guys only been talkin' 'bout sex since I was gone?"  
  
Heads turned towards the door, their sights set upon the dirty blond who was leaning against the doorjamb.  
  
"Jounouchi, you son-of-a-bitch!" Honda exclaimed as he clutched the other's hand and leaned in for a friendly shoulder-to-shoulder hug. "It's nice to see you're back after serving your suspension. Anything interesting happen while you were gone?"  
  
Jounouchi sucked at his teeth. "Naw; just the usual. 'Dad' goes apeshit, I go off and play some ball with the boys...same ol' thing I do when I'm suspended." Save fer the fact that I've been havin' those damn wet dreams about Hirano...  
  
"It's funny; Hirano was gone the whole time you were," Anzu noted. "Chono's been noticeably cheerful after you got handed your suspension."  
  
"Chono, in a good mood? Well; that's definitely gonna end," Jounouchi snickered as he cracked his knuckles. "I'll just take my seat, prop my feet up, and when Chono walks in, say 'hello'." He glanced at Honda. "By the way...you ask Miho—"  
  
"No, and if you make one little crack about it, I'll kick your ass," Honda answered abruptly.  
  
It was then that the bell rang as students entered their classrooms and took to their seats. Anzu shot a glare at Otogi one more time before taking hers, Otogi simply shot a suave smirk at the auburn-haired girl. The instant the ominous sound of high heels echoing throughout the halls reached the classroom, the students' voices hushed to whispers, concerning how Chono would react when she saw Jounouchi sitting there.  
  
"Good morning, class!" Chono sang as she entered the classroom. Her hair appeared to be curlier than normal, and she was wearing gratuitous amounts of baby blue eye shadow, heavy blush, and bright red lipstick. Some of the students winced upon gazing upon the latest cosmetic work of Nami Chono.  
  
"Good mornin', teach!" Jounouchi greeted with a wave. He was leaning back in his chair, his feet propped up on his desk.  
  
Chono's lips tightened the instant her falsely hazel eyes gazed upon the agitating student.  
  
"I see you're back, Mr. Jounouchi. I take it you learned your lesson?"  
  
"Oh yes, Ms. Chono," Jounouchi grinned. "I learned that if I want to beat somebody up, I'll take it off campus."  
  
Chono was not amused as most of the students laughed. "Just so you know, I would be more than happy to expel you, Mr. Jounouchi." Her witchy smile returned. "Now, if you all will open your textbooks to page fifty-six, we are going to discuss the passage that we read yesterday," Chono directed as she pulled her notes out from her briefcase and laid them out on the desk.  
  
"Reality check, Chono--getting your information for the assignment from the internet doesn't constitute that they are your notes."  
  
As soon as the vocal snipe was delivered, all heads, Chono's included, turned to face the door where none other than Seto Hirano stood. He casually leaned against the doorjamb with his back, his left hand resting on his famous "Bad Guy" belt and his right clutching his omnipresent metallic briefcase.  
  
Chono could not hide her irritation. "I see you're finally back as well, Mr. Hirano." She practically spat his name.  
  
Seto smirked. "I know how much you missed me, and I must admit that I do so missed your atrocious attempts at educating."  
  
"Just take your seat," Chono snarled hurriedly. "You're very lucky that I don't expell you for being late and for your remarks."   
  
Seto smirked as he casually strode to his desk, managing a fleeting glance at Jounouchi as he did so. Jounouchi couldn't help but smile back at the other antagonist of Chono's class.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Yep; you an' I definitely make for the Dirty Pair of Chono's classroom," Jounouchi declared as he leaned against the brick exterior in the secluded area of campus that was Seto's "office".  
  
"And just what brings you to my office?" Seto demanded.  
  
"Not mincin' words, I see." Jounouchi turned his head momentarily to spit. "I'm just wonderin' why ya wanna have that rematch so badly, especially since ya seem prone to passin' out and stuff."  
  
"Well, I can assure you this much that I will be more than capable of taking you on the next time."  
  
Jounouchi shrugged his shoulders. "Huh. If you say so...must be an adrenaline thing, huh?"  
  
"Yes; it must be adrenaline," Seto trailed indifferently as he turned a page in his book. "Just name the time and place, and I will be there."  
  
"You really are rarin' for a rematch," Jounouchi observed. "Not that I can argue with that. Last fight didn't end the way I wanted, after all. Just why're you so obsessed with a rematch anyway?"  
  
"I don't like losing, and I hate leaving something unfinished even worse."  
  
"Can't argue with that." Jounouchi scratched the back of his head. "I suppose we could hold our rematch at the 'Torture Chamber'."  
  
Seto raised a brow as he placed the bookmark between the pages of his book. "Are you suggesting we hold our rematch at an S&M club?"  
  
"What? Boy; get yer head outta the gutter. The 'Torture Chamber' was just a place me and my old crew would hit up whenever we were holdin' someone from a rival gang hostage an' shit. Nobody goes there no more. Long story. Just suggestin' that it be the next stage for our rematch."  
  
"Very well," Seto agreed. "And the time?"  
  
"Tomorrow at six or so. Still reelin' from last night, y'see." Jounouchi rubbed his left deltoid muscle.  
  
"So long as you don't hold back."  
  
"Well, I hope you picked up some new moves in this short time! I've pretty much studied enough of yer Aikido to know what's comin'."  
  
"Trust me, I still have several surprises left in me."  
  
Given how quickly ya took out that one guy the other day...I don't doubt ya... Jounouchi hid his concern with another one of his trademark smirks. "Well then, I shall be seein' ya at the Torture Chamber tomorrow evenin' then!"  
  
Seto had not heard him; he was wearing his headphones and was enthralled in his reading. Jounouchi frowned, shrugged his shoulders and took his leave.  
  
"Jounouchi."  
  
Jounouchi had not gotten very far when he heard his name called out. He glanced to his left and saw Anzu standing there, hands resting on her hips as always. Her expression was noticeably different.  
  
"Oh, hey. What's been goin' on, Anzu?"  
  
Anzu approached the blond, her unusually worried expression remaining. "You've been spending an awful lot of time with Hirano, I noticed."  
  
Jounouchi recoiled. "Are you implyin' somethin'?"  
  
Anzu shook her head. "Just a random observation before I get to the point." She sighed. "Katsuya...we've been really, really worried about you lately. Me, Honda, Otogi; even Miho has told me her concern about you."  
  
Jounouchi looked away. "Oh. So this is what you came to tell me."  
  
Anzu bit her lower lip before speaking once more. "I wasn't put up to this, just so you know...we're all worried about you, but since I'm the most vocal in our group...well, you know."  
  
"Just say what you gotta say and stop beatin' around the bush already."  
  
"You're really putting yourself into danger, Jounouchi. We've told you in the past about how we don't like you getting involved into those underground fights."  
  
"But ya'll also said that ya understood why I had to do it."  
  
"We also said that you could find work by other means. You could get special permission from the school and get a part-time job, too. Hell; Honda even had a job lined up for you at the repair shop where he works at, but you completely blew him off!"  
  
"Anzu!" Jounouchi took a moment to calm down. "Anzu...ya know damn well why I can't leave the line of work that I do. You and Honda both know about the outstanding gamblin' debts my drunk-ass dad piles up, and you both also know that he ain't capable of cleanin' his act up right now...and there's one other thing, too."  
  
Anzu gave a puzzled glare as the dirty blond reached into his back pocket and pulled out a wallet. He opened it up and handed it to Anzu. Anzu gingerly took the opened wallet, her falsely-blue eyes staring at a photograph of a teenaged girl with nutmeg-coloured hair, pale skin, amber eyes that weren't unlike those of Jounouchi's, and a smile that retained her youthful innocence.  
  
Anzu soundlessly murmured Jounouchi's name; her expression appearing remorseful.  
  
"Her name's Shizuka. She's my baby sister," Jounouchi explained. "She's got a condition that makes her so weak, she can't move around for too long without getting' exhausted real easily. She's currently in some facility where they're takin' care of her in exchange of usin' her for research for a cure for her condition. It was all mom's idea. I hated it from the start, 'cause she's my sister, not a fucking lab rat. So I'm savin' up so I can get 'er outta there and take care of her."  
  
Anzu slowly closed the wallet, her eyes remaining on Jounouchi. "I had no idea. Look; I'm sorry that I pressed you that way...I just figured that you were getting in over your head because you just wanted to piss off your dad."  
  
Jounouchi shrugged. "Ya didn't know. Truth be told; I didn't really want any of you to know about my sister, especially Otogi. I ain't so much worried about Honda now that he's got his sights set on Miho."  
  
"Image is such a stupid thing," Anzu spat as she handed the wallet back to Jounouchi. "There's nothing wrong with having a soft side."  
  
"I think I'm startin' to see that."  
  
Anzu suddenly frowned. "Of course, now's not the time to go soft. There's something else I wanted to run by you." Her hands clutched the end of her gym shirt. Jounouchi's eyes widened as Anzu began to lift her shirt; she only lifted it partway to reveal a large purple bruise on her torso.  
  
"Jesus! What the hell happened?" Jounouchi demanded.  
  
"A warning," Anzu answered sternly. "Last night as I was walking home after work, some punk from Rintama tried to jump me. I managed to knock the wind out of him thanks to my Judo training, but not before he left me with this mark. He told me that everyone at Domino can expect the same unless you surrendered yourself." Anzu released her hold on her shirt. "I have a real bad feeling that next time I may not be so lucky."  
  
Jounouchi sighed as he looked up to the sky. "Shit. So they're really serious about this."  
  
Anzu's eyes widened. "What's going on, Jounouchi?"  
  
His head still looking up, Jounouchi's eyes looked down at Anzu. "Anzu...there's another secret I have. Actually; I can't tell you right now, but you can ask Honda about it. He's the only other one that knows about my connection with Rintama."  
  
Anzu nodded. "Jounouchi, just be careful, okay? You've told me a hell of a lot just now, and now that I know that you have a sister, I want to make sure that you can fulfill your wish to be there for her like you wanted. Don't get yourself killed, all right?"  
  
Jounouchi smiled. "Don't worry. I ain't plannin' on doin' somethin' that stupid."

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
The sound of a door shutting echoed throughout the mostly bare apartment, followed by the sounds of the tenant walking around on the hardwood floor, the extra pressure provided by his combat-style boots causing them to make creaking sounds.  
  
The individual walked into the single bedroom of the plain apartment, dropping off his duffel bag the instant he walked inside. It landed on the ground with a rather loud THUD, as the figure walked up to the large set of windows, pulled up the blinds, and opened the windows. The sky was overcast, thus shielding the sun. The main entrance to Domino High School was in plain view.  
  
He nodded to himself as he knelt down to the bed's level and pulled a second duffel bag out from the underside of it. He quickly zipped the bag open, and pulled out a laser-sight as well as a scope, and a cartridge of ammunition. He then rose to his feet, walked up to the closet, and reached inside, acquiring the rifle he had been tinkering with the previous night.  
  
After he had prepared the rifle, he positioned himself to the side of the window, to avoid any serious suspicion. His hands clutched his rifle tightly as he peeked to see if any students had left the building just yet. He quickly looked away and sighed; he hated having to wait, especially since there wasn't any time to do so. Not in his situation.  
  
He ran a hand through his crimson hair, feeling the cold sweat upon his brow as he did so. He tried to recall a time that he had felt so uneasy and unusual about a contract, and found that it had been a very long time since he had felt this way. He closed his eyes, trying to ease his nerves before the time arrived.  
  
Once again, time was not a luxury allowed to the man, for the chime of the school bells ringing disrupted his mediation. He grasped his rifle, and pointed it towards the window as he adjusted his position and checked the scope to ensure that he was aiming in the proper area.  
  
Through the scope, he saw various students exiting the campus, sharing conversations and waving "good-bye" as they parted for the day. He carefully watched each student, studying them to see if they matched that of the photograph he had been using as "target practice" earlier in the day. His dried lips formed a line as each student passed, none of whom being the target.  
  
Then, something came into his sights.  
  
The long legs, brown hair, fair skin...this had to be him. The redhead also recalled a particular factoid he had learned about the target, the factoid being that he always carried around a metallic briefcase.  
  
The target carried a metallic briefcase.  
  
He licked his lips in anticipation, and rested his finger on the trigger. He had to make the shot fast, but make it count; the target walked quickly. The target's head was quickly centered within the crosshairs; it was time to take the shot. His finger was about to press onto the trigger—  
  
Suddenly, within the sights of his scope, a smaller figure had tackled- hugged the target, sending the target teetering off-balance. The smaller figure was clearly a child, perhaps even a pre-teen. Although he could only see the younger from his backside, he could see the untamed black hair and the casual dress of a long-sleeved shirt and jeans. He immediately withdrew his gun, and moved away from the window.  
  
Clearly, the redhead did not expect this sort of interference as he appeared shocked, his breathing was heavy, and his heart was pounding in his chest. He closed his eyes once again as he ran his hand through his scarlet hair once more, noticing that his brow was sweatier than before.  
  
Not in front of the kid...I can't do this in front of a kid. Gonna have to do this differently.  
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
"Mokuba, just what are you doing here?" Seto demanded as he dusted his pants off.  
  
The preteen known as Mokuba folded his arms, appearing rather pouty. "Seto, you're such a slacker! You never make much time to spend with me lately!"  
  
Seto rolled his eyes. "We spent four hours playing chess yesterday—"  
  
"I know, but that was the first time in nearly two weeks."  
  
"Mokuba, do I need to explain to you that I—"  
  
"—have a lot of responsibilities to take care of, and unfortunately this means that I am often busy and that I try to spend time with you when I can," Mokuba finished. He sighed, appearing rather forlorn. "I just miss you, is all."  
  
Seto's expression suddenly appeared to be uncharacteristically remorseful. "I know, and I don't mean to make you have to ask yourself if you're ever going to spend time with me again. Once things are calmer, you'll be seeing more of me."  
  
Mokuba smiled.  
  
Seto smirked as he folded his arms. "Besides, it was your suggestion that I go to this school in the first place. 'Seto, you should go to school and make friends and stuff! Otherwise, you could be lonely and stuff!' So this is as much your fault as it is my own," Seto teased matter-of-factly as he mussed the boy's hair.  
  
Mokuba playfully parried Seto's lanky arm. "So we're both to blame, then!"  
  
"Tell you what; I don't have any meetings or anything boring like that, so how about we go play that new Guilty Gear game, huh?"  
  
Mokuba's cinnamon eyes sparkled. "Yay! I was wonderin' when you'd get around to playing it with me!"  
  
Seto nodded with a smile. His azure eyes looked up towards an apartment building that was on the other side of the road, and focused upon one of the open windows. His eyes narrowed. Was someone...was someone just watching us?  
  
"Hey-hey, what's with the brat, eh?"  
  
Seto's eyes widened with surprise; he recognized that voice. He quickly turned around as he composed himself, resting his hands on his hips and was ready to make his standard sarcastic reply, but it was Mokuba who was the first to make a reply to the remark.  
  
"Hey; I'm not a brat! I have a name, and it's Mokuba!" The urchin exclaimed before sticking his tongue out at the intruder.  
  
"Mokuba, go wait outside of the campus; I'll handle the puppy." He shot a glare at the dirty blond, who was standing there wearing the biggest smile on his face that Seto had ever seen.  
  
As Mokuba dashed away, Jounouchi slowly approached the unamused brunet, his smile unfading.  
  
"So...what's the deal with 'im? An admirer?"  
  
Seto smiled sarcastically. "Not that it is any business of yours, but he is my little brother."  
  
Jounouchi raised a brow. "Little brother? Ya have a little brother?"  
  
"Mommy and Daddy didn't want little Seto to be an only child," Seto sneered.  
  
"Hey; I was only asking a question, ya don't have to be a hundred percent asshole 'bout it!"  
  
Seto gripped the handle of his briefcase, his gaze on Jounouchi. "I know that over sixty-percent of the school's are started by you. If you so much as say a word to anybody I will beat you senseless."  
  
"Isn't that what ya want to do to me tomorrow anyway?" Jounouchi shrugged.  
  
"Well, I'd suggest that we instead do this now, but..." Seto glanced at Mokuba.  
  
"Right, right, not in front of the kid," Jounouchi agreed. "I guess I'll be annoyin' you tomorrow, then!"  
  
"Save it for Chono. At least you know she won't break your arm." Seto gave the dirty blond another smirk as he retreated from the campus.  
  
"What is it with you and breaking peoples' arms anyway?" Jounouchi called. Seto gave no response, so Jounouchi simply threw his hand out in a "forget it" gesture and walked out of the campus in the opposite direction. He took a last glimpse of Seto and Mokuba, smiling as he saw Seto mussing the adolescent's hair once again and nearly snickering when the boy playfully punched his older brother in return.  
  
"Hey!"  
  
Jounouchi was so caught up in the moment that he did not realize that he accidentally bumped into someone. He turned around and saw a tall, red- haired man lying on the concrete path. The man was clearly a foreigner.  
  
"Oh hey; didn't see ya there. Let me help ya up, huh?" Jounouchi extended his arm out.  
  
"I can help myself up, thank you," the passerby rejected in English as he swiftly rose to his feet, his hand latching onto Jounouchi's briefcase momentarily.  
  
Jounouchi raised a puzzle brow as the passerby dusted himself up. "Uh...yeah. "  
  
"Next time, you need to watch where you're going!" The passerby warned as he snatched his sunglasses from the ground and placed them onto his face before going on his way once again.  
  
Jounouchi sneered. "Hey; My English may not be so good, but I know an asshole when I see one! So fuck you!" He then smirked; he always wanted to exclaim one of the few English phrases he knew to a 'gaijin'.  
  
The passerby smiled.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
AUTHOR'S NOTES  
  
Once again, we see Jounouchi getting more development here, as his past ties with Rintama are really catching up to him. Kaiba is finally getting more development now, especially with Mokuba in the picture.  
  
Can you guess who the mystery person was in the interlude and tried to take out Kaiba? You may or may not be surprised, but he does play an important role in the series. You'll find out who he is in the next chapter, as Jounouchi and Kaiba duke it out once again—with yet another surprise result. You may actually figure out what'll happen this time. wink  
  
As for the language, the mystery character is speaking in English—anything that is shown in "" denotes a foreign language, The characters are speaking Japanese, or at least, that is the assumption to be made here. This is also why I don't have characters drop random Japanese—it'd be redundant—which is why Mokuba refers to Seto by his name rather than "nii- sama" (I COULD have him say "big brother"...so I Americanised a bit. Sue me. razzes)  
  
I'd like to thank Elf for providing me a great description of Spike! For those not in the know, he's a bad-assed character from Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel. I couldn't resist adding him on Anzu's binder as someone she has a liking for! As for Seto's outfit—check out my Dev Art page for how it looks!  
  
Anyway, I'll get the next chapter up as soon as I can—but Tekken 5 is on the horizon, so I may be distracted. :D


	11. Cigarette Mambo

CHAPTER ELEVEN: Cigarette Mambo  
  
"HhhHHhh!"  
  
With a sudden gasp, Seto bolted into a seated upright position. His heavy breathing nearly drowned out the sounds of his furiously beating heart.  
  
He held his hands, palm-side up, in his lap, his azure eyes staring at them as if there was some sort of abnormality with them. He closed his eyes in relief when he found that he had only been dreaming again, and immediately fell back onto the bed. He raised a hand to his forehead as if he were feeling it for a fever, and shook his head as if he were in a state of denial.  
  
"I hate sleeping," Seto declared to no-one in particular. He sat up once again and reached for a small, amber medication bottle that rested by a glass of water on his nightstand. He twisted the cap off, shook out a small light blue tablet and tossed it into his mouth. He then reached for the glass of water and downed the entire glass, making a face as he swallowed; clearly the water had been sitting for too long. He swung his legs over the bed and stumbled into a standing position, slowly making his way to the windows. With the pull of a cord, the curtains parted, revealing various trees, distant buildings that made up the Domino City skyline, and the glaring rays of the morning sun.  
  
Seto walked back to his bed and sat down upon it. He ran a hand through his sweat-dampened sienna hair as he heard the sound of a doorknob clicking. A barely twenty-something maid walked in, holding a neatly-folded pile of clothing.  
  
"Young master? I had your school clothes dry-cleaned, as you requested," the maid declared as she rested the school clothes onto a small, round table that stood in the middle of his bedroom. "Also, your paper is waiting for you with your coffee." She bowed before exiting the large bedroom.  
  
Seto sighed as he grabbed his hairbrush and walked into the bathroom, shutting and locking the door behind him.  
  
Fifteen minutes after waking up and getting dressed into his controversial custom-tailored school uniform, Seto descended the large staircase and headed directly towards the large dining room, giving a slight nod to the maid that was in his room earlier. The instant he entered, he noticed Mokuba busying himself with a Gameboy Advance hand-held system, his thumbs moving in a furious flurry. A plate of Belgian waffles with whipped cream and strawberries sat in front of him, untouched.  
  
"Mokuba, you can worry about your top score after you've eaten. I don't want to hear from another upset teacher because you weren't paying attention in class again," Seto lectured as he took his seat, his left hand reaching for his coffee mug.  
  
Mokuba looked up from his game. "Well; I didn't want to eat until you showed up." He resumed his game.  
  
"Sure you did," Seto humored as he took a sip of his coffee, his eyes focusing on an article in the newspaper that caught his attention.  
  
[ IRON FIST TOURNAMENT ANNOUNCEMENT SPARKS CONTROVERSY  
  
Mishima Heihachi (73 years old), the CEO of the Mishima Financial Empire, recently announced that he would be holding a new fighting tournament, with a hundred million yen as the cash prize. This has caused much controversy within the government, as they had placed a ban on the blood sport nineteen years ago since the second tournament resulted in the mysterious disappearance of that tournament's host, Mishima Kazuya, who happened to be the estranged son of current CEO Mishima Heihachi.  
  
Mishima insists that this tournament will be under strict supervision with a set of rules that will ensure that nothing like what had resulted from the second tournament will occur ever again. The government is doing what they can to prevent Mishima from carrying on with this tournament—]  
  
"Oh hey, is that about that Iron Fist thing?" Mokuba inquired as he looked over Seto's shoulder.  
  
Seto hastily folded the newspaper. "Mokuba, you really shouldn't be reading about that sort of thing..."  
  
Mokuba's smile quickly dissipated. "Awww, but why not? I think it's cool that that Heihachi guy is holding a fighting competition! It's like one of those games we play, but for real!"  
  
"Games are fiction. This tournament is a pointless blood sport; you have enough common sense to know that." Seto paused to take another sip of coffee. "Besides, I doubt the government will allow for this tournament to take place due to the incidents that occurred all those years ago."  
  
"Wow. Well, I guess we'll just have to wait and see, huh Seto?" Mokuba asked as he poked at the waffles with his fork.  
  
Seto nodded. "I suppose. Don't get your hopes up."  
  
Mokuba took a long moment to chew on his breakfast, before speaking up once more with another question. "If they broadcast it on television, can I watch it?"  
  
"Mokuba!"  
  
"Aw, come on!" Mokuba pleaded. "You can just TiVo it beforehand and just not let me watch the really violent parts. I'll do anything just to see this thing!"  
  
"I don't understand why you want to watch this so badly."  
  
"Well, sometimes, when I see you practicing your kanas—"  
  
"Katas," Seto corrected.  
  
"Your 'katas', I imagine how it would be if you entered one of those things. I bet you'd do really well!"  
  
"Mokuba, it's an environment where killing is actually encouraged, and it's something I don't believe in, not to mention that my Aikido and Aiki-ju- jutsu are—"  
  
"—not for show, yeah I get it," Mokuba finished as he cut off another piece of his waffles. "But can I still watch it?"  
  
"I'll...think about it," Seto considered as he took another sip of his coffee, shaking his head to himself.  
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
For the fifth night in a row, Jounouchi was unable to get a full night's rest, due to the lurid fantasies that plagued his dreams. However, since the fourth night in which this happened, Jounouchi decided that it was pointless to fight it, and decided that if the dreams happened, they happened.  
  
By the fifth night, he found himself succumbing to the fantasies.  
  
He lay there on his bed, eyes half-lidded and cheeks flushed with pleasure. His white T-shirt lay on the floor and his boxers were pulled down enough to expose his length. His left hand rested behind his head and his right hand was swung over the bed, barely clinging onto a box of Kleenex tissues.  
  
He glanced downwards at himself, glanced at the clock, then glanced at the ceiling once again.  
  
He slowly blinked.  
  
_I think I might be hot for him..._  
  
The Kleenex box fell from his fingertips.  
  
_...I think I need a drink._  
  
Jounouchi slowly sat up, pulling his boxers up and reaching for his T- shirt. He glanced at the T-shirt, frowned, and lazily tossed it into the overflowing hamper in a corner of his room. He rose to his feet and approached his dresser, slightly staggering as he was still waking up. He opened one of the drawers, pulling out a white T-shirt and sniffing it. It smelled like he had sweated in that shirt, but since it was the only one in the drawer, he pulled it over his head anyway and made it a note to do the laundry tomorrow.  
  
He then bent down and pulled his school slacks from the corner he tossed them to and sat on the bed, pulling the pants up slowly over his strong legs and thighs. He slowly lay back down on the bed, an elongated exhale escaping from his lips. He bolted upright and reached downwards for the Kleenex box, staring at the crumpled messy contents that lay inside. He shoved it under his bed.  
  
He stared up at the ceiling. _Shit. I really can't believe I did that. Fifth night and I'm already just goin' with it...just try to r'member, Katsuya...ya ain't gay unless yer the one takin' it—aw hell! Am I really buyin' into that...shit? I need a mental vacation or somethin'...  
_  
With his concern over his sexual orientation weighing heavily on his mind, Jounouchi grabbed his briefcase and quickly exited his room.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Seto slowly, cautiously swung open the door to the boy's restroom, his face not hiding his disapproval of the meeting place. He noticed various graffiti that decorated the walls, the back of the door, and even the sinks and mirrors.  
  
"I hear that there's graffiti in the girl's bathroom about how they wanna fuck ya," Jounouchi commented, his voice slightly resonating off the walls. "I hear that Otogi's real jealous of that."  
  
"How flattering," Seto stated indifferently. "I don't know why I agreed to meet you in this...words really fail me here. I suppose 'hole' would suffice."  
  
"Well I can't be missin' gym today if I wanna maintain my only 'A'."  
  
"So being tardy to Chono's class is the solution?"  
  
"Dude, I know ya hate that bitch almost as much as I do, so it's not like yer feelin' any remorse over this."  
  
"Point made. So, what brings us together for this meeting today?"  
  
"Huh? Aw, I don't like to smoke alone."  
  
"And you didn't ask someone else? If I recall correctly, you don't like me very much."  
  
"Honda's quttin' fer the sake of Miho, if he ever gets balls to ask her; Otogi...I'd rather not ask him, and I don't think I need to tell ya why Anzu don't get invited."  
  
Jounouchi reached for his package of Marlboro brand cigarettes, and held out the package towards Seto.  
  
"I don't smoke that tobacco shit." Seto coolly rejected as he pulled out his package of Djarum Black brand clove cigarettes.  
  
"Man, I don't see what's so special 'bout them clove things ya smoke," Jounouchi retorted as he reached for his lighter.  
  
"I like the aftertaste." Seto snatched the lighter from Jounouchi.  
  
"Ya know, you could get yer own damn lighter."  
  
"Yes, but there's no fun in buying one." Seto set the small flame to the cigarette, taking a quick drag of the stick and exhaling just as quickly. He handed the lighter back to Jounouchi. "There's more to this than just you and me having a smoke."  
  
Jounouchi glared at the brunet as he lit his own cigarette, flipping the Zippo lighter shut and replacing it into his pocket. "What? I can't invite ya fer a smoke? Maybe I'm tryin' to domesticate ya."  
  
"Fuck you," Seto sneered. His features softened a trifle. "Sadly, your words are more useful than Chono's..." He took a long drag of his cigarette.  
  
"Just what are those clove smokes like anyway?" Jounouchi inquired as he pointed at the cigarette in between Seto's lips.  
  
Seto removed the cigarette from his lips and offered it to the dirty blond. Jounouchi stared at the offered cigarette as if it were something disgusting.  
  
Seto rolled his eyes. "Jounouchi, this isn't third grade. Just think of it as me passing you a joint."  
  
"I wish it were a joint," Jounouchi replied as he gently took the cigarette, placing it between his right index finger and thumb. That's right, Katsuya, just keep feedin' into those fantasies you've been havin'...  
  
Jounouchi took a long drag of the cigarette, the sweet and smoky flavour of the cloves overwhelming his taste. He slowly exhaled the smoke as he removed the cigarette and handed it back to Seto.  
  
"Lick your lips."  
  
"What?"  
  
"Just do it."  
  
Jounouchi gave Seto a cautious stare as he slowly ran his tongue over his lips, his expression changing to surprise as he was greeted by a sweet taste on his lips.  
  
"It's...it's sweet."  
  
Seto nodded as he licked his own lips. "It certainly helps when you're kissing someone, what with none of that nasty aftertaste that most cigarettes leave."  
  
"Yeah, but I ain't completely sold on the cloves...don't suit my style. But they do taste nice."  
  
"I like to think of them as my own personal brand of candy." Seto tossed the cigarette butt into one of the urinals. "So, shall we discuss any finalizations with our match this evening, if any? I'd like to at least find some sort of significance in this meeting."  
  
Jounouchi appeared confused for a brief moment. "Mmm? There's not much to say, really. We got a nice, wide space to fight in, though there's a few oil drums and some broken glass to watch out for. Obviously can't use foreign objects, not that I see you as the type to stoop to such pussy tactics. First one knocked out loses. Basically, it's the usual shit."  
  
"Wish you said 'the usual shit' in the first place; there goes ten minutes I could have spent harassing Chono."  
  
"Heh-heh...I gotta wonder, are ya gonna be relyin' on that tired Aikido style of yours?"  
  
"And just what is wrong with my Aikido style?"  
  
Jounouchi shrugged. "Nothing at all if yer just gonna go up against yer average street punk. I managed to beat that last time, thanks to that fight we had before. Managed to study and pick up on some of yer more important tricks."  
  
Seto scowled. "So, you did throw that fight. I ought to toss you out of here just for that."  
  
Jounouchi looked up as he emitted a short whistle. "Well, if ya wanna get suspended..."  
  
"I'm going back to Chono's class; I suggest you wait no less than ten minutes before you rejoin the class, or people might talk. I really don't want to be associated with a mutt like you." Seto huffed as he briskly retreated from the restroom as Jounouchi flared another cigarette to life.  
  
He quickly inhaled and exhaled a puff of smoke, a sheepish smile on his lips. I think I just totally pissed him off, dissin' his precious Aikido. That might just get me an advantage.  
  
His smile slowly faded.  
  
But shit; it's as I feared it would be...this meetin' was an experiment to make sure that I wasn't attracted to Hirano...damn cloves. I bet that was his idea of a flirt.  
  
Jounouchi leaned his head back and rested it against a wall. It worked.   
  
"Look; I couldn't off him in front of a kid!!" The red-haired man exclaimed as he leaned against a column that was contained within the elaborate hotel room he was currently residing in. He held a cellular phone to his ear, a frustrated expression worn on his face.  
  
"Hey; my line of work isn't basic shit, alright...yes; I remember the deal! I can uphold it, no problem. It's you I don't trust...hey; I have some issues with trust, okay? You just better know when to deliver, because I will go after you if you're just another lying son-of-a-bitch."  
  
The haughty sound of laughter was clearly heard from the phone. The redhead growled, slamming the cover shut on his phone.  
  
"Shit; he's more of an asshole than Rafael," he muttered as he hastily pocketed the phone. He slumped into a chair and hunched over, his hand running through his hair. He glanced up, his ashen eyes taking notice of the equipment that lay on top of his bed. He slowly rose and approached his bed, taking hold of a small box-shaped item. He grabbed the cable that hung at the end of it and inserted it into his laptop computer. He briefly tapped the keys, leaning forward with interest as he awaited the results.  
  
A smile curled on his lips as he saw the results.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
It had been a while since he had been to the "Torture Chamber".  
  
Jounouchi stood in the center of the abandoned warehouse, a sense of familiarity coming over him.  
  
_Wow. Don't look like much has changed, saved fer the fact that things're rustier now. Hey, those chains're still hangin' there_...  
  
Jounouchi approached the chain, his neck craning upwards as his eyes followed the long rusty chain, all the way to the dilapidated roof. He chuckled to himself as he looked down and gingerly took hold of the chain.  
  
"Y'all thought that chain was actually able to hold me," he reminisced aloud as he slowly released the chain, its rust leaving behind a reddish- brown residue on his hands. "Actually...so did I."  
  
Jounouchi wiped away the rust residue on his school slacks, nodding to himself.  
  
"I wonder...if I look around here carefully, will Hirutani's blood stains still be around," Jounouchi pondered aloud as he kicked a discarded beer can.  
  
"Hrm, 'kick the can' is a rather primitive game, don't you think?" Seto's arrogant tone overwhelmed that of the sound of the can landing against a wall.  
  
Jounouchi turned around, grinning. Seto stood in the doorway, still clad in his uniform. "Well, we ain't here for kid's games, right?" He raised his fists. "Let's get started, huh?"  
  
"Right-to-the point; is that how it is to be?" Seto raised his hands in the ever-familiar Aikido stance. Jounouchi smirked.  
  
"Ya can't just hide behind pure defense forever, ya know!" the dirty blond reminded in a taunting tone of voice. "I've overpowered it before, and will do it again!"  
  
"We shall see." Seto smirked.  
  
Without warning, Jounouchi got into a crouching position, placing his weight on his right foot and using it to propel him in a crouching-dash. He swung out his right fist in an uppercut motion.  
  
Seto responded by parrying the attack, and then grabbed hold of Jounouchi's right arm in an effort to toss the dirty blond aside. Jounouchi swung his arm in a clock-wise motion, breaking the hold.  
  
Seto thrusted his forearm out in a sideways chopping attack, which Jounouchi easily side-stepped. The dirty blond attempted to catch the brunet with a knee strike but the brunet managed to perform a spin-around sidestep. Jounouchi's back was vulnerable to whatever attack—or throw— Seto had planned.  
  
However, the blond knew what to do in such a situation as he briefly recalled a time that he had to take on five people at once. Instinctively, he instantly spun with his right arm extended in an attempt to strike at the brunet with a spinning back knuckle strike.  
  
Seto grabbed Jounouchi's arm and thrust it forward in a parry. As Jounouchi stumbled, the brunet bent downwards, his right leg extending upwards in one swift motion, the heel striking Jounouchi squarely on the chin and sending the dirty blond into the air. He crashed into a pile of cardboard boxes.  
  
"HEY!" Jounouchi exclaimed as he bolted into an upright position; he did not expect that last attack. "What the hell was that?!"  
  
Seto raised a quizzical brow, his right leg bent out in front of him. "Hn? I simply took advantage of the fact that you assumed I'd stick to Aikido. But as you can see, you're not the only one that holds back his true potential." He smiled.  
  
"I don't know much about Aikido, but I know there ain't kicks like that in it!"  
  
The brunet lowered his leg. "That's because it's not Aikido at all, but rather the Korean art of Tae Kwon Do."  
  
"Whaaat? Man; you are just full of surprises, I swear..."  
  
Seto gave out a very amused chuckle. "Come now, Katsuya...you think these legs are just for staring?" He frowned. "I honestly didn't think I would wind up resorting to a more offensive strategy, but considering how quickly you've managed to shatter my defenses, I needed to take a better course of action."  
  
"Great. So I gotta compete with yer speed, not to mention ya got the range advantage," Jounouchi muttered.  
  
Seto put on an amused smile. "Well, I need to find my advantage somehow."  
  
"Advantage," Jounouchi repeated. "Shit. It ain't just long range, huh? Even if I could evade one of yer kicks and get real close an' personal, you'd still manage to get me up close 'cause of yer Aikido."  
  
"Very clever, puppy," Seto commented with a nod. "It seems that you're figuring out the key to why I have such outstanding fighting sense. Only in future battles will you truly understand the answer."  
  
"Fucker; stop bein' so philosophical," Jounouchi sneered. "Ya just managed to catch me off guard. I'll be able to predict yer kickin' stuff soon enough."  
  
"You're completely missing the point." Seto drawled with a slight shrug. "Can we continue already?"  
  
Jounouchi brushed the small trickling of blood that had gathered at the corner of his lips with the pad of his right thumb. "Bring it, blue-eyes."  
  
With an amazing blur of speed Seto dashed towards Jounouchi, his right arm held out and bent in a forty-five degree angle towards the dirty blond—an oncoming elbow strike. Jounouchi sidestepped to his right, successfully avoiding the attack and attempted to counter-attack with an elbow strike of his own. Seto managed to duck underneath the attempted counter-attack, using a low-sweeping leg strike to knock Jounouchi over. Jounouchi fell backwards but he landed on his hands, allowing him to quickly spring back onto his feet. He tried to use a rising uppercut as he stood, but Seto grabbed Jounouchi's fist and flipped the dirty blond onto his back.  
  
Jounouchi winced as he impacted against the cold, hard surface of the floor. Seto ran a hand through his sienna hair in a display of arrogance. "That's three times that I've successfully managed to land an attack, puppy."  
  
"Bastard, ya only got two out. I managed to recover from that sweep."  
  
"You were still struck by it."  
  
"Tch!" Jounouchi made a frustrated face as he slowly rose to his feet. "Would ya settle for two an' a half, then?"  
  
Seto thought about this for a moment, and nodded. "Fine. I can settle."  
  
"Great. What say after all is said and done, we grab a couple of beers and get hammered or some shit...loser buys," Jounouchi suggested.  
  
Seto said nothing.  
  
"What is it?" Jounouchi raised a puzzled brow. "You don't like beer or somethin'?"  
  
Seto still said nothing, though Jounouchi noticed a tinge of fear upon the brunet's features.  
  
"Hirano? Is somethin' the matter? Man; don't you be spacin' out on me here..."  
  
"...Jounouchi."  
  
Now the dirty blond was really confused. "Hirano, yer seriously weirdin' me out here—"  
  
"CATCH!" Seto ran up to his metallic briefcase and kicked it with all his might, launching the large briefcase towards Jounouchi, thanking himself for wearing his steel-toed boots.  
  
"What the hell are ya doin'?" Jounouchi demanded. He easily caught the brunet's briefcase within his grip and at the exact moment he had done so, the sound of gunfire echoed throughout the warehouse, the shot ricocheting from the hard surface of the case. Had Seto not acted, the shot would have landed in the center of Jounouchi's chest.  
  
"JESUS!!" Jounouchi exclaimed as he dropped the case and quickly found cover beneath some rusting oil drums. "Who the fuck is here?!"  
  
Seto said nothing as his azure eyes scanned the warehouse in hopes of finding the mysterious gunman. Jounouchi peered from his hiding place.  
  
"If Hirutani hired a fuckin' gunman to kill me, I'm really gonna—"  
  
"Quiet," Seto hushed as he narrowed his eyes. He pointed towards a shadowed corner in the far end of the warehouse. "The gunman is over there."  
  
"Ya know Hirano, maybe you should hide out too," Jounouchi hurriedly suggested. "I have a bad feelin' that this guy may want to kill ya fer shits an' grins."  
  
Seto was about to give a harsh word to Jounouchi when the sudden sound of clapping interrupted him.  
  
"It's not you I'm after, blondie; it's your brunet friend I'm more interested in...," a voice declared in English.  
  
Seto frowned, while Jounouchi sneered.  
  
"I'm sorry I had to interrupt one of your post-schoolyard fights, but I needed to get your attention, Seto."  
  
Seto's face immediately seized with surprise. "How in the hell did you know my name?! " The brunet demanded in English.  
  
"Well, well; I really am impressed...a Japanese that can speak English as if it were his Native language."  
  
"Don't you dare try to change the subject. Who the fuck are you, and how did you learn about me?"  
  
Jounouchi was irritated, and he wasn't going to keep it bottled up. "Could ya cut the English speak here? I feel like I need subtitles or somethin'."  
  
"Tell your blond friend over there that I meant no hard feelings...I was simply trying to test his reflexes, is all. Oh yeah; and let him know that I don't know much Japanese, so he'll just have to deal with it."  
  
Seto gnashed his teeth. "Not until you tell me who you are."  
  
The stranger sighed. "All right, fine; take the fun outta that why don't ya..."  
  
Seto and Jounouchi stared at the corner, patiently waiting for the figure to emerge from his hiding place of the shadowed corner.  
  
Within seconds, the figure stepped out into full view. He was roughly as tall as Jounouchi but certainly not as muscular as the dirty blond, though he had more of a build than Seto. He wore a loose blue-gray tank top that stopped just barely above his exposed, muscular midriff. He wore a pair of baggy green camouflage pants with a pair of belts that crisscrossed in the center of his hips, and a pair of dark, mud-stained combat boots adorned his feet. His hair was of a deep red colour; it stood out against his pale skin. His hair flared out at each side of his head and his bangs reached to his cheekbones.  
  
"Hey! I bumped into that asshole just yesterday!" Jounouchi exclaimed.  
  
"Asshole? How rude. I have a name; it's 'Amelda'," Amelda announced.  
  
"You could have at least chosen a more masculine name when looking up false names," Seto taunted.  
  
"Wait; that's a dude?" Jounouchi asked as he pointed at the redhead. "He looks even girlier than you, Hirano!"  
  
Amelda was unable to repress a bemused chuckle. "'Hirano'? Oh, so you thought a false name could help you." He turned his attention to the dirty blond and pointed at Seto. "Name! His name! Seto Kaiba! His name, Seto Kaiba!" the redhead exclaimed in broken Japanese.  
  
Jounouchi blinked. "His name...? Seto Kaiba?" He turned his gaze towards the brunet. "Seto...Seto's yer first name, right, so...Oh."  
  
Seto looked away the instant Jounouchi made the connection.  
  
"Well, well; the blond isn't so stupid after all. Seto! Consider our meeting a warning, for your time is about to run out, Mr. Kaiba...I think my intentions are quite obvious to you. From this day on, you are no longer safe. Ta for now!" Amelda smirked as he leapt out of a glassless window, his rifle strapped around his back.  
  
Seto glared at the space Amelda occupied as if it were a loathsome space. He suddenly felt a hand on his shoulder forcing him to whirl around, and gaze into the infuriated amber eyes of Jounouchi Katsuya.  
  
"Talk!" Jounouchi demanded. "Ya better tell me who ya really are!"  
  
Seto said nothing, his intense gaze masking his worry.  
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

AUTHOR'S NOTES The mysterious assassin is revealed to be none other than Amelda, the gender-confusing redhead from the Yu Gi Oh anime's DOOM/DOMA arc. Okay, so a lot of YGO fans hate this arc because it's not "true to canon"—well whoop- de-shit. I really liked Amelda (never mind the fact that I thought he was a girl at first), and decided to use him as a character for Contrast. He'll prove to be VERY significant, especially in a future storyline. wink As for Kaiba—he's officially been "outed" as Kaiba, and next chapter will shed some more light on that confrontation.  
  
And yes, I couldn't resist giving Kaiba another fighting art. I really dig Tae Kwon Do, and with legs like Kaiba's—come on. grin Jounouchi will seriously have to train and discipline himself if he's ever going to best Kaiba now. Speaking of fighting there was the mention of the Iron Fist Tournament 3 (Tekken 3 to you non-Tekken fans in the house)—this may or may not bear future significance, but keep reading.  
  
Thanks a bunch for reading this fan fiction and for your reviews! I really appreciate it! 


	12. Those Hateful Eyes

**Chapter 12: Those Hateful Eyes  
**  
"Talk!" Jounouchi demanded, his grip tightening on Seto's school top. "Just who are ya anyway?"  
  
Seto's intense gaze remained on the dirty blond, his body unflinching. "How do you even know that I'm even lying?"  
  
"Maybe 'cause ya claimed yerself as one thing when yer actually another," Jounouchi answered through clenched teeth.  
  
Seto shut his eyes for a moment. "The truth is that Hirano **is** my true name, but 'Kaiba' is my legal name."  
  
Jounouchi's grip loosened. "Ya hate yer parents that much, huh?"  
  
"They're dead."  
  
He completely released the brunet from his hold. "Oh...Damn; uh, that came out wrong..."  
  
Seto frowned. "You're very good at putting your foot into your mouth."  
  
Jounouchi scratched the back of his head uncomfortably."It just came out wrong, that's all."  
  
"Hn." Seto folded his arms, his left lanky fingers drumming against his opposite forearm. "This revelation may be a problem. As you may or may not know, you are considered to be the biggest loudmouth at Domino High...and that's certainly not hard to believe...you know who I am. If word of who I am gets out—"  
  
Jounouchi waved his hands in front of his chest. "Hey; don't worry. I can keep it on the low. Ya know, that Kaiba name sounds awfully familiar..."  
  
"You don't game much, do you?" Kaiba sighed. "The company used to be just another financial group, like the Mishima Financial Empire in Tokyo. However, after I took over the company a year ago, I remade it into a gaming company that specializes in creating advanced gaming hardware and gaming accessories."  
  
"Oh..." Jounouchi nodded, appearing clueless. "So yer some rich kid, huh?"  
  
Seto made a slight twitch. "Let's get one thing straight, okay? I may be packing a shitload of money, but I will not be referred to as a 'rich kid' like some spoiled brat, is that understood?"  
  
"Gee, someone's a little touchy." Jounouchi turned his head to spit. "'Least ya didn't threaten to break my arm. Anyway, that Amelda sounds like a serious bastard. Ya know 'im?"  
  
"Of course not!" Seto denied.  
  
"Well, considerin' that ya keep loads o' secrets...I'm not even sure what to think...yer leadin' some kinda double-life, so who knows? Is there anythin' else that yer hidin'?"  
  
Seto folded his arms. "Mostly unimportant things, like my childhood and my measurements..."  
  
Jounouchi scratched his head. "Measurements? Yeah; with a chest like yours, I guess ya get asked a lot about that. What are yer measurements?"  
  
Seto did not appear amused. "Jounouchi, please. This is a very dire situation...that man is looking to kill me, and I've got to figure out why he's after someone such as myself, before he's able to kill me." The brunet reached for his briefcase.  
  
Jounouchi eyed the briefcase. "Shit; that's one hell of a briefcase ya got there. What's it made with, adamantium?"  
  
Seto cocked his head to the side, a rather perplexed look on his face. "That kind of metal exists only in comic books. This briefcase is made with steel...it's thick enough to stop bullets, but not so much that I can't carry it." He picked up the briefcase.  
  
"Ohhh...makes sense, I s'pose," Jounouchi nodded. "Well look; if there's anythin' I can do—"  
  
"Jounouchi, you have your own problems, or did you forget? I suggest that you look out for yourself before worrying about me. I will have my situation under control."  
  
Seto walked past Jounouchi, one hand in his pocket and the other clutching his briefcase. Jounouchi watched as Seto left. He mouthed a curse to himself before speaking out.  
  
"Hey...Kaiba!"  
  
Seto stopped dead in his tracks, and turned around.  
  
"I just wanna know...how did ya know that Amelda guy was gonna shoot at me?"  
  
Seto smirked for a moment. "He was using a red-laser sight targeting on you. If you bothered to look down, you would have noticed too, mutt." He turned around and continued on his path. Jounouchi smiled to himself.  
  
"Thanks..." the dirty blond spoke softly.

* * *

"Miruko!"  
  
Amelda bolted into a seated upright position as he heard the humming sound of his fax machine. He glared at the contraption as it printed out its information as he slowly rose to his feet. His clothing was disheveled from having slept in it, and his hair was mussed. Amelda ran a hand through his hair and could feel the cold sweat that had gathered upon his brow.  
  
The fax had barely arrived when the redhead snatched it up. The first page was that of a note, sent to him by his mysterious employer. Amelda tried to make out the handwriting; his employer's handwriting was almost frustratingly illegible.  
  
_Here is the information on the target. I meant to send this to you much, much sooner_.  
  
"Unprofessional,", he muttered as his ashen eyes skimmed over the details that were contained within the white sheets. "Let's see...sixteen years of age, six-foot one, born in October 25, 19xx; et cetera et cetera...'retired champion of Magic and Wizards'...what the hell is 'Magic and Wizards'? ...'won in the Guilty Gear and Virtua Fighter game tournaments in Evo 20xx'...Cripes, this kid's a fuckin' gamer geek."  
  
He tossed the sheet aside as he reached for the second page.  
  
" 'Current CEO of Kaiba Corporation; took over in 20xx at the age of fifteen after the founder, Gozaburo Kaiba, leaped to his death from the 48th floor'—Christ...the economy must have been real bad." Amelda paused to clear his throat. " 'Company was transformed from a financial group to that of a gaming company that specializes in state-of-the art gaming hardware, gaming accessories, and lifelike holographic technology, invented by the CEO himself'—shit; this kid's a genius of some sorts," Amelda concluded as he tossed the second page towards the first one and reached for the third page.  
  
" 'Currently attends Domino High School, second year, under the name Hirano Seto; presumably this false family name is taken from his deceased mother. No relatives are known, though he may have a cousin that he is unaware of that attends the Mishima Polytechnical School which is owned by-- ' pfft! Useless shit right here." Amelda rolled his eyes as he crumpled the sheet at tossed it over his shoulder, and reached for the other two pages.  
  
"Says here that his gaming genius has earned him fame amongst children everywhere...might explain that kid I saw him with the other day, which means picking him off at the school is out of the question indefinitely. No matter, anyway. I rather like this cat-and-mouse game. I just gotta figure out the best way to do this; my employer isn't getting any more patient."  
  
Amelda slouched in the soft leather chair for a moment, the pad of his thumb slowly brushing against his chin, his ash-coloured eyes shut in concentration.

* * *

"Jounouchi!" Honda, Anzu, Otogi, and even the reserved Miho rushed to Jounouchi the instant he entered the classroom.  
  
Jounouch shot the quartet a dumbfounded look. "Uh...what's goin' on, guys?"  
  
"That's what we'd like to know," Otogi answered.  
  
"Anzu told me how she had been attacked the other night," Honda explained. "And then last night, three more students were beaten up real badly."  
  
"You must have really fucked Hirutani up if this is his idea of retaliation," Anzu stated.  
  
Jounouchi pulled out his chair and slowly seated himself. "So, Honda told ya about that, as I asked...it's true. Hirutani never was a gracious winner, especially when it's one of his own subordinates that kicked his own ass. He's just thinkin' that by messin' with you guys that it'll get me to come out and play."  
  
"So why don't you stop being so nonchalant about this and just settle the score with him so he can stop targeting us?" Otogi inquired, his arms folded.  
  
"He knows exactly where to find me," Jounouchi countered. His lips tightened into a frown as his eyes narrowed. "He knows I ain't afraid of his punk ass."  
  
"We know you're n-not afraid, Mr. Katsuya," Miho stammered. "W-we're all just really afraid. Not just for our own safety, but yours as well." She blushed when Honda rested a hand on her shoulder.  
  
"We hate that you have to deal with this just as much as you do," Anzu stated.  
  
Jounouchi leaned back in his chair. "I know. I hate that this is happenin' to people who ain't even involved in my shit, but are just 'cause they got the tiniest of ties wit' me. If Hirutani won't come out, then I'm gonna have to force him to."  
  
"By using bait or something?" Otogi questioned.  
  
Jounouchi briefly turned his head towards Otogi. "Naw; I'm gonna do it the same ol' way I did it last time...I'm gonna march down there, and beat however many of his cronies I gotta beat senseless before he comes out and play."  
  
"That may not work this time," Honda noted. "Especially since they know you're going to react in that way."  
  
Jounouchi glanced up at Honda. "So what yer sayin' is that I play it more calm-like? Ain't my style."  
  
"You may not have much choice, though. Something has to be done to put a stop to this mess before someone could be hurt or even killed," Anzu stated.  
  
The bell rang. "Don't worry. Nobody's gonna get killed on my watch." Jounouchi smirked. "I'm gonna go in there and remind that son of a bitch Hirutani just who's the best."  
  
"We can only hope that this goes over well," Honda nodded. The quartet retreated for their seats as Ms. Chono stepped into the room, dragging Seto by his arm. He appeared amused.  
  
"—I should expel you for that declaration in the hall; do you hear me, Mr. Hirano?" Chono scolded as she stepped in.  
  
"If I say 'no', will you actually do so?" Seto poked with a smirk.  
  
Chono gnashed her teeth as she pointed to Seto's seat.  
  
"Didn't think so." Seto smirked as he casually strode to his chair. Jounouchi leaned over.  
  
"What did ya just say out there?"  
  
Seto sneered. "'Jounouchi is a dumbfuck'."  
  
Honda stifled a laugh as Jounouchi glowered back at the brunet. "Ya know, you can just go fuck yerself, K—Hirano..."  
  
"If I had a cunt that would be possible; otherwise I'll just stick to petting the dragon," Seto whispered matter-of-factly.  
  
Jounouchi glared at the brunet, appearing perplexed. Seto glared right back. "In case you didn't understand, I was referring to mas—"  
  
"Hey fuck you; I don't want you finishin' that sentence," Jounouchi threatened as he tried to maintain his whispering tone.  
  
Honda shifted his eyes between the arguing pair, his right hand pointed at Jounouchi and his left crossing over his right to point at Seto. "Okay; you're both weirdin' me out here."  
  
"Mr. Hirano, Mr. Honda, and Mr. Jounouchi, would you care to divulge to the class what you were discussing that is apparently much more important than this lesson?" Chono inquired with an annoyed tone.  
  
"As a matter of fact; I would," Seto replied. "Blondie here and I were trying to figure out how many layers of makeup it would take to make it so that our eyes wouldn't hurt just looking at you. Oh; and I started the discussion so if you're going to punish someone, punish me."  
  
Chono made no effort to hide her disdain for Seto's false confession as the class immediately burst out in hysterical laughter; Jounouchi and Honda included. "If you're so willing to take the fall for the other two, then that's just fine by me. See me right after class!"

* * *

"So did she expel yer ass?"  
  
Seto shot a threatening glare in Jounouchi's direction. The dirty blond was casually leaning against the outer gate of the school, a grin on his face.  
  
"No; I was only suspended," Seto answered with sarcastic disappointment. "Just what brings you here, mutt?"  
  
"Oh; nothin'. Just wanted to know if ya got expelled, was all."  
  
Seto folded his arms as he studied Jounouchi's expression. "Liar," he coolly stated as he quickly turned away.  
  
"Okay; okay...ya got me there," Jounouchi confessed as he grabbed Seto's arm. Seto turned around, his surprised gaze catching Jounouchi off guard. Jounouchi glanced down and realized that he was holding Seto's arm. He immediately released it and looked away, his hand held up to his face to hide the slight rosy hue that had gathered on the dirty blond's cheeks.  
  
"Jounouchi, despite the fact that I take several jabs at your...intelligence, you're not stupid. You know I got myself into this on purpose."  
  
"Because of—" Jounouchi was interrupted by Seto making a "hush" gesture. He lowered his voice. "Because of that Amelda guy, right?"  
  
Seto nodded. "Your situation is placing students here in danger. I don't want to be another, more dangerous risk to them."  
  
Jounouchi raised a brow. "How did you—"  
  
"I overheard your conversation with Anzu yesterday."  
  
"Ah. Since when did you care—"  
  
"I'm a little too young to be responsible for somebody's death."  
  
Jounouchi nodded. "Figures. But uh, what're ya gonna do about yer kid bro?"  
  
"I haven't figured that out yet," Seto answered softy as he looked away, only to surprisingly meet with the impatient stare of the aforementioned little brother, Mokuba.  
  
"You're late."  
  
"Mokuba, I...will explain later," Seto sighed.  
  
"Aw; I'll leave ya to explain things to yer little bro," Jounouchi replied with a slight chuckle. "I gotta take care of some stuff anyway." He departed in the opposite direction as Seto stared back at his wild-haired brother.  
  
"So, is he your friend or something?" Mokuba inquired with a coy smile as he began to walk ahead.  
  
Seto rolled his eyes as he followed. "No. Just someone I choose to annoy at school."  
  
"Oh, so you've finally made a friend! What's his name?"  
  
"Jounouchi, and he's not my friend--just a barking mutt that won't stay off my heels."  
  
"Yeah, right. It's okay to have a friend...your secret's safe with me!" Mokuba exclaimed as he rested his hands behind his head.  
  
"How about we change the subject before little brother gets to carry the big heavy briefcase, hrm?"  
  
"Aw; no way!" Mokuba frowned. "But if you wanna talk about something else, well...I can't believe that you got suspended!"  
  
Seto gave Mokuba a wide-eyed stare. "You overheard that?"  
  
Mokuba giggled. "Aren't you supposed to be setting a good example for me?"  
  
Seto nodded. "This particular teacher is entirely too incompetent."  
  
"Doesn't mean you should go outta your way to insult her, bro."  
  
Seto put a hand to his head. "Mokuba, just who's supposed to be the adult here anyway?"  
  
"Me! And I say I get ice cream because of my great parenting skills!" Mokuba put on a wide smile.  
  
"All right; but only because you managed to get one over on your big brother," Seto conceded.  
  
"I think you're losing your touch," Mokuba stated with false concern.  
  
"I think someone's smart mouth is going cost him that ice cream," Seto stated with a smirk.  
  
"Hey!"  
  
"The master has regained his title," Seto declared triumphantly as he mussed the younger Kaiba's hair.  
  
"I'll make my comeback, just you wait," Mokuba promised.  
  
Seto smiled back at that child, but that smile instantly shifted to concern when he looked ahead. Blocking their path were three high school students, each wearing gray school uniforms. Two of them appeared like most stereotypical punks in Japan, sporting either partially-bleached hair or a slicked-back style. The exception lay with the punk that stood in the center of the trio; he wore a beanie cap and glasses. Seto presumed that he was their ringleader.  
  
"Mokuba, stay behind me," Seto whispered as he held his arm out in front of the boy.  
  
Mokuba, appearing unafraid, complied.  
  
"Ain't it sweet how he's protective of the kid like some kinda woman?" The ringleader asked rhetorically.  
  
"Bet he ain't much in a fight," The punk to the ringleader's left declared.  
  
"Well, we could be wrong. After all, he's been seen with Jounouchi, so who knows? He may have some guts to him," the ringleader snickered.  
  
"If it's a fight you're all looking for, then why don't you simply ask Jounouchi himself?" Seto suggested with a tone of indifference, his intense stare remaining on the trio.  
  
"We're targeting you Domino losers in order to get to Jounouchi," the ringleader pointed out.  
  
"Hey, he probably doesn't want to get beaten up in front of his kid bro there," the punk to the ringleader's right piped up.  
  
Seto scowled the instant they mentioned Mokuba. "I beg your pardon, but I do not want him to bear witness towards pointless violence."  
  
"Tch, skinny here's actin' like he's all hard and shit," the ringleader sneered. "Hey! Take care o' the kid!"  
  
Suddenly, an unseen member of the Crashers jumped from behind a corner wall and grabbed the youth from behind. Mokuba struggled to escape, but he noticed a glimmer from the corner of his eye. Seto turned around; it took him some effort to disguise his fear with anger as he witnessed the unexpected turn of events.  
  
"Hey creep; don't you threaten me with that knife!" Mokuba exclaimed defiantly; he hoped the boldness in his exclamation hid his fear.  
  
"Now ya got no choice. Ya either try to take us on regardless of the kid bein' here or not. Otherwise, we slit this kid's throat," the ringleader threatened as he pointed to the punk that had taken Mokuba hostage.  
  
Seto growled as he turned a hateful glare at the beanie-capped punk. "That was the absolute last place you wanted to go." He dropped his briefcase.  
  
"Ohhh! Now skinny's gonna try to throw down!" One of the punks announced as he raised his fists.  
  
"This shouldn't last very long," the ringleader stated as he cracked his knuckles.  
  
"Believe me, it won't," Seto agreed as he glanced at the Crasher with the knife. "I did not want that boy to bear witness to violence, but your cowardly act has dried up any other alternatives."  
  
The three Crashers that surrounded the brunet initiated the fight by trying to attack him at once. However, their fists only managed to hit the air as Seto grabbed one of the crashers by his shoulders and vaulted over him, landing behind him. He the then grabbed the ankles of punk and pulled him toward the ground then stepped over him to meet with his other assailants. Another punk lunged at him with a clumsily thrown side kick; Seto grasped the punk's leg and pulled the punk to the ground and twisted the leg in a counterclockwise motion. The Crasher cried out as Seto continued to twist. Suddenly, Seto was grabbed from behind. It was the punk the brunet knocked over when the fight began; Seto cursed at himself for the careless move. The punk's hold was like steel as it forced Seto's arms to be pinned to his sides, thus disallowing any struggling or even elbow strikes for an escape tactic.  
  
Seto grimaced as he struggled, and soon realized that he had no other alternative; he threw his head backwards, knocking into the forehead of the Crasher. The force of the blow allowed Seto to break free from the hold. As the Crasher reeled from the surprise attack, the brunet elbowed the punk in the gut, causing him to double over and then delivered a swift chopping motion to the back of the punk's neck, removing him from the fight.  
  
Right then, the second punk whose leg Seto nearly broke swung a discarded wooden board at the brunet, who easily dodged the clumsy attempts. The punk knew he was at a disadvantage due to the damage already done on his leg, but he was relentless. He took another swing of the board, but simultaneously Seto countered by thrusting his right leg outwards, the heel breaking the board in half and knocking the punk in the jaw at the same time, taking the fight out of him. Seto then turned his attention to the ringleader, the punk with the beanie atop his head.  
  
"Heh; not bad, considerin' that they weren't no good to begin with." He raised his fists. "However, it ain't gonna be easy from he—"  
  
"Shut up," Seto growled as he thrust his left palm forwards, the heel of the palm striking the beanie-capped ringleader in the face. The force of the blow almost completely crushed the bridge of the beanie-capped punk's nose. However, the brunet was not done; he grasped the ringleader by his right wrist and landed five consecutive side kicks; four of which were mid- level kicks to his side and the fifth being a high-level kick to the punk's head. The ringleader was unconscious before Seto even released his grip.  
  
He then set his azure gaze on the final Crasher that remained standing.  
  
The knife-wielding punk sneered as he brought the shaking knife closer to Mokuba's throat. Seto thrust his right arm forward so quickly that it appeared like a blur and grasped the punk's arm, twisting the punk's wrist clockwise to force him to release the knife. The punk howled with pain. Seto immediately released his hold and before the punk could react further the brunet thrust his foot towards the punk, the heel crashing against the brick wall. The toe on his steel-toed boots rested gently on the punk's neck.  
  
"I will only say this once, so you better listen well," Seto calmly stated. "You are not to fuck with my brother, nor are you to threaten his life as a means to get to me. If I ever have the displeasure of seeing you or your kind again, I will not hold back and my heel will crush your necks. Do we have an understanding, little man?"  
  
The punk nodded.  
  
"Good. Think about what you did, and go home to your parents." He almost wanted to smile for making such a "parental" comment, but deemed the current situation inappropriate for such an action. The punk slumped to the ground, shaking with fear and muttering to himself about how he would turn his life around. Mokuba, happy to that his brother saved him, ran up to Seto, but when he saw how unusually pale his elder brother appeared, he stopped.  
  
"Seto, are you okay? You look kinda pale," Mokuba observed.  
  
"I'm just fine," Seto dismissed sternly as he looked downwards to face the boy. "You are not to tell anybody of what you just saw, is that understood?"  
  
Mokuba nodded as he gulped.  
  
"Good. Let's go."  
  
Mokuba shot a worried glance at his elder brother before placing his focus on the ground as he slowly followed.  
  
On top of an apartment building, Amelda rested a foot on the edge of the flat rooftop. "Heh...this may work out a hell of a lot better than I planned." He glanced upwards, his eyes tightening shut for a moment as his face appeared strained. "That kid...reminds me too much of Miruko, though." He jumped back and ran towards the opposite side of the rooftop.

* * *

Jounouchi dashed around the corners and bends of the areas surrounding Domino High, his amber eyes quickly scanned each alley that he passed in hopes of finding answers. He received several glares from various people he passed by, but they knew well not to bother someone who appeared so menacing and determined.  
  
He cursed to himself; his results were coming up empty thus far. Higashi said that he had not seen much Rintama activity in the eastern parts of Domino, but suggested the obvious—check the downtown areas. However, Jounouchi was sure that so long as the Crashers remained good on their threats, they would be waiting at the bay for any unfortunate Domino students that happened to walk by them. It would just be a matter of him getting to any of the Crashers before they could lay harm to another student.  
  
He suddenly heard the _clang_ sound of a knife falling to the ground. Jounouchi turned around and saw a Crasher sluggishly retreating from around a corner. Jounouchi quickly closed the distance between them, his left hand finding the Crasher's gray uniform, and his right poised to inflict physical violence.  
  
"So; lookin' to beat up on some Domino Students, huh shithead?" Jounouchi demanded.  
  
The Crasher glanced at the dirty blond with a terrified look in his eyes. "N-not me, man! I can't be doin' this anymore!"  
  
Despite the confusion the punk's words caused Jounouchi, his anger did not subside in the least. "Just what in the hell are ya talkin' about?"  
  
The Crasher turned his head, and pointed to what lay behind the corner with a shaking index finger. Jounouchi hurriedly jogged around the corner, dragging the punk behind. He was shocked at the sight that lay before him.  
  
"Takeshi's jaw got broke and nearly got his leg broke...and Ubusuna's nose was practically crushed, and I think I could hear some of his bones gettin' broke...dude nearly crushed my neck!" the Crasher explained hysterically.  
  
"WHO did this?" Jounouchi demanded. "If ya like yer face as it is, tell me who did this?"  
  
"I-I don' know! He was real tall, had blue eyes..."  
  
Jounouchi blinked. Kaiba? No way...he don't fight this violently... "Liar! I know that kid enough to know that he don't fight with violence."  
  
"I swear, it's the truth!"  
  
Jounouchi took a moment to backtrack; his eyes lit up with a haunting realization as he turned his gaze back upon the Crasher. "Did you threaten him?"  
  
"Us? Y-yeah...kinda. He didn't want to fight so we threatened to knife his kid bro...we weren't really gonna knife him, really, Jounouchi!"  
  
The Crasher trembled as he could hear a deep growl emitting from Jounouchi.  
  
"You bastard!" Jounouchi knocked his head directly onto the punk's, knocking him out instantaneously. Jounouchi took a closer observation of the unconscious bodies that lay around him.  
  
_Kaiba once nearly broke my arm...but then he wasn't fighting like he meant it...but this...this is just too violent. Then again, if someone threatened to kill Shizuka, I wouldn't hold back, either._  
  
He recalled the final explanation the punk gave.  
  
_"...dude nearly crushed my neck!"_ _

* * *

_  
Jounouchi bit his lower lip.  
  
"Hey, Seto? Seto, can I come in? I need to talk to you," Mokuba said softly as he slowly opened the door. He peeked inside the bedroom and noticed that Seto was sprawled on his bed as though he had passed out on it.  
  
Mokuba sighed, and silently closed the door.  
  
For the eighth time since he had arrived home, he replayed the events of the late afternoon in his mind. The punks. The knife at his throat. His big brother single-handedly defeating the punks. The hateful look in his eyes. His sudden feeling of weakness; that unhealthy paleness that accompanied the strange weakness.  
  
Mokuba shook his head.  
  
_But that wasn't a hateful look...that...that was a scary look_. The boy shuddered as he retreated down the long hallway. He turned around to get one more glimpse of the closed door that separated Seto from the rest of the world before walking down the stairs.

* * *

AUTHOR'S COMMENTS 

Just another fight scene, but come on—there just had to be a moment where Mokuba got into trouble, and Seto came to save the day. Of course, who knew Kaiba was capable of fighting so violently...  
  
Now, for those of you about to jump down my throat telling me that Kaiba Corp produced weapons and was not a financial group before Seto took over—let's be real. You think a company that made weapons would go over well in the public eye? I think, though horribly clichéd that it's for the best that the old Kaiba Corp under Gozaburo kept that weapons production undercover...besides, it plays an integral part in the Contrast series (as well as provide tie-ins for the Tekken half of this series). Oh, and Kaiba Corp doesn't do much work with the Duel Monsters game. Like I said, I want to keep that game as much on the lowest priority as possible (but as you can see, there was a brief mention which will be delved into in the future).  
  
Also, someone asked if I have studied Aikido and Tae Kwon Do. Yes, and no. I don't actually practice the arts, but I have studied them through reliable sources on the internet, books, and various fighting games that accurately depict such styles. Thank you all again for reading and reviewing—pay close attention to the foreshadowing here, because the next chapter will be quite intense.


	13. Vile Tactics

**Chapter 13: Vile Tactics**  
  
It was a gloomy morning. Clouds in various grays loomed overhead, threatening to bring down rain towards the inhabitants of Domino City. Jounouchi saw this as a rather "unlucky" sign; something he reminded himself would not prove helpful if he was going to settle his personal vendetta once and for all.  
  
He also reminded himself of the scene he stumbled upon yesterday in the afternoon: four Crashers apparently tried to attack Seto,all meeting with injuries, and one of them revealed that he was nearly killed.  
  
_I can understand why he beat 'em all like he did, all brutal-like...I mean shit; that was his baby bro'...I can relate. But, the part 'bout him nearly killin' someone, with just his bare hands...that really bothers me...it's just not like him to do that.  
_  
Jounouchi shook his head.  
  
_No way. There's no way that Kaiba would be able to kill a dude. He's just an asshole that likes to piss people off fer fun; certainly he ain't no killer...'sides, them Crashers are just honourless, gutless pieces of shit. Probably made that part thing up about nearly killin'.  
_  
Jounouchi nodded self-assuredly. _Should hear it right from the source, though, just to be sure. Don't know where Kaiba lives...Kaiba. Shit; funny how that's so easy for me to say in sucha short time...sounds better than 'Hirano'; I think.  
_  
The dirty blond closed his eyes as he conjured an image for the brunet that had played the main role of his dreams last night. He was barely aware of the sigh that escaped from his lips.  
  
_There's still that matter. Every night the same type o' dream. Kaiba in some kinda leather or wet shirt or even nothin' at all ...shit, that just got me hot. Good thing I'm wearin' a big shirt._ Jounouchi paused as he looked down. _I doubt it'll do much good hidin' that boner.  
_  
"Perhaps if you hunched over, maybe, just **maybe** you could hide that boner," a voice noted, making no effort to hide its amusement.  
  
"What?!" Jounouchi's hands instantly tugged at his shirt, until he looked up. He frowned. Seto stood in the dirty blond's path, his hands casually resting in his pockets. He was dressed in a much more simple fashion consisting of a dark teal dress shirt and slacks with a navy blue trenchcoat. The only pieces of his ensemble that was part of his usual fare of unusual style was his cyber-style, metal plated boots, the glow bracelets that adorned his wrists, and the black clove cigarette between his fine lips.  
  
"Ya got a hell of a way of makin' yerself known, Kai—"  
  
Seto cleared his throat. "'_Hi_ra_no_'."  
  
"'Hirano'. What're ya up to anyway? Shouldn't you be enjoyin' yer free time off from school findin' that Amelda guy? Or even getting' some sleep, because ya look real tired right now."  
  
The brunet sighed, making Jounouchi shift uncomfortably for a moment; his amber eyes had locked on the slight heave that Seto's chest made--the plunging neckline due to his unbuttoned top only enhanced the dirty blond's arousal.  
  
Jounouchi needed to divert his thoughts elsewhere. "Hirano? What's wrong?"  
  
Seto gave Jounouchi a stern look. "Jounouchi, yesterday, I was attacked by the Crashers."  
  
"So? I know yer able to handle yourself," Jounouchi shrugged, hoping that his indifference was effectively masking his concern.  
  
Seto turned away uncomfortably. "Mokuba was present at that time. He saw the entire fight."  
  
Jounouchi did his best to act surprised. "Mokuba? What did he think after seein' that? I mean, I doubt ya were really all that violent, so I doubt it traumatized him or anythin'."  
  
Seto shifted uncomfortably. "Jounouchi, I...I didn't want Mokuba to see such an event take place. One of them was armed with a knife, and...shit; I don't know why I'm telling you this...I really just wanted to tell you that I was attacked so that you realize how dire this situation is getting and that you need to get your ass in gear with this."  
  
"I know; I know!" Jounouchi exclaimed as he threw his arms up into the air. "I'm gonna duck outta school early and start huntin' those assholes down, get 'em to lead me to Hirutani so I can settle this thing. Don't think that I ain't doin' shit."  
  
"Do however you will. I need to continue hunting for Amelda."  
  
"Do ya even know where to start?"  
  
Seto shook his head. "I'm going to do some searching on my computer to see if I can track him down that way."  
  
Jounouchi raised a quizzical brow. "Eh? Like hackin' or somethin'?"  
  
Seto responded with a coy glance.  
  
"Oh," Jounouchi realized. "You sure that'll work?"  
  
"Nothing is ever sure. Either it will or it won't."  
  
"Spoken like a true pessimist."  
  
"I prefer the term 'realist' myself." Seto paused as he inspected Jounouchi's facial features. "Something is bothering you."  
  
Jounouchi cocked his head to the side, a skeptical expression on his face. "Who, me? Naw, man. If anythin's botherin' me, it's the usual. Besides, since when did you give a damn if somethin' bothered me or not, huh?"  
  
"I just find your expression bothersome," Seto shrugged as he turned on his heel. "I suppose I shall be seeing you once this is all resolved."  
  
"If it gets resolved," Jounouchi muttered. "Hey, Hirano."  
  
Seto glanced over his shoulder. "Hn?"  
  
Jounouchi appeared as though he had something of importance to say, but instead the dirty blond shook his head. "Uh...be careful, okay?"  
  
"Please. Follow your own advice." Seto lazily waved to Jounouchi as he continued his departure.  
  
"It was a suggestion!" Jounouchi called as he watched the retreating brunet with worried eyes. Kaiba...this is all gonna catch up to ya one day. Ya can't keep actin' like ya can handle everythin'...heh. Listen to me...I sound like I wanna be there to catch him when he does fall.  
  
The dirty blond almost wanted to smile, when he took notice of a figure casually seated in a bench, his hands tucked inside his pockets and his head hung low. Jounouchi frowned as he cautiously approached the figure, his narrowed eyes not leaving the suspicious figure. The figure wore a form- fitting charcoal wife-beater, large baggy denim jeans, a pair of Vans brand sneakers, and a bucket hat that helped to hide his lowered head from Jounouchi's view.  
  
Jounouchi could have sworn that he knew this person.  
  
The figure lifted his head, a sly grin on his face. "It's been a while, Jou."  
  
Jounouchi reeled back, his sneering expression remaining unchanged. He raised a brow as he murmured, "Kenshiro?"  
  
Kenshiro looked up with a nod. "I hear you've been doin' well for yerself, bud...makin' money at the underground fights and all."  
  
"Don't you fuckin' 'bud' me, Ken. Just what brings ya here? Ya lookin' to beat up more of my classmates, 'cause if ya are—"  
  
Kenshiro held up a hand. "Stop, man. I ain't here to beat up on nobody. If it makes ya feel better, I've called off the attacks."  
  
Jounouchi cracked his knuckles. "Is that so? Does Hirutani know that you went behind his back like that?"  
  
"Hirutani..." Kenshiro's eyes glanced away from Jounouchi for a second. "Ya need to be at the ol' Suzuki building. I can only hold off the attacks fer about forty-eight hours 'til it's business as usual for the rest o' the Crashers."  
  
Jounouchi frowned. "Why the hell do I need to be in a place like that?"  
  
Kenshiro shrugged as he slowly rose to a standing position, his hands in his pockets. "Yer answers in regards to why this is goin' on and regardin' Hirutani are there. Besides, I figure if ya know where to look, then it may not go over so badly this time."  
  
Jounouchi appeared dissatisfied. "If he's tryin' to get me to rejoin, you can tell him to shove it up his ass."  
  
Kenshiro chuckled as he turned around, slowly strolling away. "Ah, ever the upstart...just be there, all right?"  
  
Jounouchi frowned. "So what's with the ceasefire?"  
  
Kenshiro continued on his way as he answered, "Because, Jounouchi, if there was one thing we shared in common, it was that we both believe that things should be played out more honourably. Be seein' ya."  
  
"If that's the case," Jounouchi answered, "Then ya shoulda left with me."  
  
Kenshiro smiled. "Heh. Ya know I can't do that," he replied to himself.  
  
Jounouchi removed his stare from Kenshiro after asking his final question, his eyes closed as he was deep in recollective memory.  
  
_Jounouchi! Yer damn crazy if ya think you can take Hirutani!  
  
Get the fuck outta my way, Ken! I promised him that if he didn't let me walk out of the Crashers, I'd force my way out!  
  
Jounouchi, ya gotta turn back now! I ain't just sayin' this as a friend--  
  
If yer any 'friend' of mine, then yer gonna step aside! Ya know damn well that there's no honour in that Hirutani, and ya know that what he did is gnawin' at ya hard like it is me.  
  
...you may be right, but ya know Hirutani may try to kill ya fer this double- cross.  
  
Heh. Fear of death is the last thing on my mind.  
  
You don't have much to live fer, do ya?  
  
Wrong. I have a hell of a lot. I just know I'm gonna be the one that walks away.  
_  
Jounouchi slowly opened his amber eyes, the final quote echoing in the back of his mind as his features softened.  
  
_There's just one more thing that I may just have to live for. No; that's not right...it's a person.  
  
_He wore a sheepish smirk as he realized what thought crossed his mind.  
  
_Yeah...I guess ya really have become important to me._  
  
He then smacked his forehead. "Shit! I mean to ask him about that fight...awww...dammit!"

* * *

No matter how cautious he was, Seto knew it wasn't enough. He had taken the risk of going outdoors just to see the dirty blond, his supposed reason being that he wanted Jounouchi to go after his former comrades, his true reason being that he simply wanted to see the dirty blond one more time, before he actively pursued the mysterious assassin known as "Amelda".  
  
_"Amelda"...I know nothing of this person, not even his true name. What motive could he possibly have to kill me? It just doesn't make sense...I had spent the entirety of the night searching throughout the net and as many other systems as I could get a hold of, and still I get nothing. There must be something that I'm missing, but I am too exhausted to figure that out.  
_  
Seto broke from his thoughts for a moment to stretch, a moan passing from his lips.  
  
_I have not completely recovered from yesterday's encounter with those "Crashers", and the lack of sufficient sleep certainly is not helping. I should have taken Mokuba and ran rather than fight them.  
_  
He stood in front of the iron gates that separated him from the mansion he resided in. He placed his left forearm horizontally across the bars and leaned his head against his arm as if he were fatigued.  
  
_Mokuba has not spoken to me much since the fight. I don't blame him after that violent display I put on yesterday. I still don't completely understand why that had happened; surely I remembered my medication. Still, they should not have threatened Mokuba in the cowardly way that they did. Perhaps my actions were justified in that sense.  
_  
He smirked. _Yeah...totally justified. Hopefully Mokuba will be feeling better; I let him take the day off since he may be feeling a little trauma. He insisted that he wasn't, but I insisted that he take the day off—that way, I may discuss with him about yesterday's incident.  
_  
He glanced at the "call" button on the panel that lay beside the gate, shrugged his shoulders, and instead leapt over the concrete wall, just like he had whenever he used to sneak back into the mansion under his "Platinum" persona. He dusted off his pants as he quickly stood, glancing in every which direction and reminded himself that he should have taken the security cameras into consideration before performing such a stunt. He casually walked towards the doors, and turned the knob.  
  
The large foyer was the same as ever; vast and devoid of any personality. Seto frowned; he hated that everything in the mansion was so large.  
  
_I really ought to settle for a high-rise_, Seto told himself in his head as he removed his boots.  
  
"Mokuba! Could you come down so we can talk?" Seto called. "I promise that it won't be about those 'changes' this time!" He chuckled to himself as he reminded himself of how amusingly uncomfortable Mokuba appeared when his elder brother gave him "the talk".  
  
Seto raised a puzzled brow when he heard no reply from Mokuba. He walked towards the stairs, his body tilted so that he could face in the general direction of Mokuba's closed bedroom door. "Mokuba?"  
  
Seto walked past the stairs to his left and stuck his head into the kitchen. He shook his head.  
  
"Not in here...perhaps he's playing Guilty Gear?"  
  
Seto briskly jogged to the downstairs den, and frowned when he noticed that there was no sign of Mokuba.  
  
Seto returned to the center of the foyer, and heaved a sigh, his hair briefly lifted by his breath for a moment.  
  
"If he went to school, I'm going to be very disappointed," Seto muttered to himself as he headed for the closet to retrieve his slippers.  
  
Suddenly, as he opened the door, the maid fell out of the closet. Seto managed to catch her before her head crashed against the marble floor. Seto immediately noticed that her chest was slowly rising and falling; an indication that she was still alive.  
  
"Hey! What happened here?" Seto gently tapped the young maid's cheeks in an effort to bring her back into consciousness. "Wake up! What happened to you?" He glanced up towards the stairs but quickly returned his attention to the made when he heard her moan.  
  
"...Young...m-master...please forgive me..." the maid murmured.  
  
"What happened here?" Seto demanded.  
  
The maid weakly raised her left arm and pointed towards the stairs. "A man...he forced his way... inside...he a-attacked me...told me I'd be...okay...upstairs...he's upstairs..."  
  
"Just take it easy. I'll take care of this." Seto gently lifted the maid and briskly yet carefully carried her to the den, placing her upon the leather sofa.  
  
_It has to be Amelda_, Seto quickly concluded as he hurried towards the stairs, removing his trench coat and throwing it behind him to increase his mobility._ How did he know where to find me? Does he know about...Oh my God._  
  
"**_MOKUBA_**!!"  
  
He swung Mokuba's bedroom door open, his fear-filled azure eyes scanning the bedroom. He curled his upper lip in anger when he found the room to be unoccupied.  
  
"Mokuba! Please tell me you're in hiding!" Seto silently berated himself; shouting aloud was the worst thing to do when there was a possible intruder remaining in the premises—an intruder with the intention to kill. He looked straight ahead, and found that his door was left ajar. He knitted his brows together as he dashed as quickly as his long legs could allow for, reaching his room in a speed that was almost considered superhuman. He shoved his hand against the door and forced it open.  
  
He froze in horror as he lay sight to what lay within the confines of his very bedroom.  
  
"About time you got back here, Kaiba-boy," Amelda taunted. The redhaired assassin was seated atop the lower right-hand corner of Seto's bed, one arm clutching an unusual-looking gun, and the other wrapped around the mouth of—  
  
"Mokuba!!" Seto turned an infuriated stare at Amelda. "You...you coward! How did you know—"  
  
"I have a very reliable informant," Amelda explained. "I hate that it has to come down to this, but my employer wants you dead and soon. He's such a dick, so the sooner I off you, the sooner I won't have to deal with HIM as well."  
  
"So what does Mokuba have to do with this?" Seto demanded, his clenched fists shaking violently.  
  
"It's called an incentive, Kaiba. Apparently, this boy is important to you, and I really don't want to take you out in just one shot. I understand that you're quite a fighter...why don't we engage in a battle before I drive a bullet through your skull, hrm?"  
  
"Very well, then!" Seto raised his arms, initiating his Aikido stance. "We can take this outside. Let the boy go."   
  
Amelda put on a modest smile. "That's just too easy. Mokuba's comin' with me." He briefly glanced over at his frightened hostage.  
  
"If you don't let him go, you WILL regret it!" Seto growled as he quickly ran towards Amelda, whose smug demeanor remained unchanged.  
  
"Later." Amelda quickly aimed his gun at Seto and pulled the trigger. Seto stopped cold when he felt something penetrate his left arm, in the bicep region.  
  
"No!! Seto!" Mokuba managed to shout as he tried to struggle, but Amelda managed to overpower the boy and tightened his hold.  
  
The brunet looked to his left and noticed a small dart that protruded from his arm. He snapped his head upwards, his gaze as hateful as ever. "What the _hell_ did you just shoot me with?"  
  
"Relax, Kaiba-boy. When I said I wanted a decent fight, I meant it. However, if we did this now it'd be too easy. Granted, my employer wants you dead ASAP, but I want to make a game out of this before it all ends."  
  
"I asked "what", not "why", motherfucker," Seto snarled as he pulled the small dart out of his arm. "**What** did you shoot me with?"   
  
"Oh yes; that. I simply shot you with a tranquilizer. Don't let the small size of that dart fool you; it's just potent enough to take effect almost instanty. It'll keep you out for a few hours. That's definitely long enough for me to take my leave."  
  
"You son-of-a-bitch..." Seto could feel the relaxing effects of the tranquilizer; he shook his head in a futile attempt to resist. "I'll dislocate all of your limbs before you even get near that window."  
  
Amelda smirked as he walked towards the window. "You're more then welcome to try. Hell; I'll even just stand at the window so you can get me."  
  
Seto knew that the redhead was simply instigating, but the situation was too desperate. He tried to race towards Amelda, but the full effects of the tranquilizer was taking effect.  
  
His legs felt as though they were tied to cinderblocks, his arms simply refused to move at all, and his vision blurred. He was helpless to the effects of the sedative as he saw the floor suddenly approach him.  
  
Seto had barely taken two steps towards the crimson-haired assassin before he crashed onto the carpeted floor, his body completely succumbing to the tranquilizer. Amelda smiled.  
  
"Don't feel so bad. I'll be sure to take care of the kid while you're sleeping. Besides, you looked like you needed the rest. Pleasant dreams and best of luck finding me, Kaiba-boy!" Amelda tightened his grip on a squirming Mokuba as he leapt out of the window.  
  
Mokuba's screams for his brother was the last thing Seto heard before blackness overwhelmed his vision...  
  
...and suddenly, his azure eyes were focused upon the cream-coloured ceiling. He slowly sat up, feeling groggy but immediately taking notice that he could no longer feel the debilitating effects of the dark Amelda shot him with moments ago.  
  
At least, it only _felt_ like moments ago; it was now dusk.  
  
He slowly sat up, his golden locket the first thing he noticed as he glanced downwards.  
  
It suddenly struck him.  
  
_I failed._  
  
He gingerly held the locket in his palm.  
  
_I've failed him._  
  
He tapped the locket and the small door receded, exposing a photograph of a younger Mokuba, looking cheerful as he held a chess piece in his left hand.  
  
Seto clutched the locket tightly in his shaking grip.  
  
_I am so sorry, Mokuba...I've failed you._

* * *

**AUTHOR'S COMMENTS**

This was a relatively short chapter, especially in comparison to the last few. This chapter pretty much has set the scene for the major events that are to come that will wrap up this storyline—Jounouchi's final showdown with the Crashers, and Kaiba's showdown with the assassin Amelda. The next chapter is going to be a long one, but you absolutely cannot afford to miss it for the moment you may have been waiting for will finally arrive—and I think you know what I'm referring to so stay tuned, because things are really going to get intense from here, True Believers!  
  
Anyway, I hope y'all enjoyed this installment! Reviews are always welcomed!


	14. One Night at July's

_(WARNING: This chapter contains boys kissing other boys. Wow!)_  
  
**Chapter 14: One Night at July's**  
  
Jounouchi gently turned the nob and opened the door just enough so that he could take a peek inside the room.  
  
_It's just as she said...Kaiba's here._  
  
Seto was seated in a hunched-over position on the left edge of the bed, his head hung low. His sienna tresses obscured his face.  
  
_He's clearly upset. Don't hear any snifflin', so he's obviously not cryin' about whatever's botherin' him.  
_  
Jounouchi slowly opened the door wide open and carefully stepped inside, his hands alternating as they remained on the doorknob so that he could shut the door as soon as he stepped in. He turned around and saw that Seto remained unchanged.  
  
Jounouchi sighed as he gently bit down at his lower lip, unsure of what to say. _Fuck it, Katsuya. This could be yer chance to really tell Seto what's on yer mind...so just say it already.  
_  
"So, uh...July told me you were here," Jounouchi stated in a gentle tone.  
  
Seto made no reply.  
  
"I, uh, understand if ya don't want to talk or nothin'...but at least let me know what's goin' on, huh?"  
  
Again, Seto made no reply.  
  
_This is getting nowhere, fast._ Jounouchi scratched the back of his head. "I guess ya don't like talkin' about somethin' personal, huh? Ya got issues with trust or something'? Maybe some kinda past trauma? As I've always told ya, Kaiba, there's a lot about you I don't know...and it seems like that keepin' secrets thing you had goin' on ain't exactly helpin' you right now."  
  
Jounouchi's amber eyes remained on the brunet, who made no reply or movement.  
  
Jounouchi was about to throw his hands up in the air to concede defeat, when he heard a mumur—  
  
"...he took Mokuba."  
  
Jounouchi blinked. "Mokuba? Yer kid bro? Who nabbed him?" He paused, and gently smacked himself in the head when he put two and two together. "Oh shit...Amelda got to him? How?"  
  
Seto remained unmoving. "He managed to find out where I lived, and when I came home after seeing you yesterday, he was in the process of taking Mokuba. When I tried to stop him, he shot me with a tranquilizer, leaving me completely helpless to stop him."  
  
Jounouchi's features softened with a feeling that he hadn't really felt for anyone aside from his own sister. He slowly approached the brunet. "The son of a bitch did all that...shit, Kaiba! I can understand that yer upset and all, but ya shouldn't be blamin' yerself for it!"  
  
"But it **is** my fault!" Seto finally glanced up, his azure eyes meeting with Jounouchi's amber pair. Jounouchi noticed that there was a hint of redness in Seto's eyes; a sign that he was trying his best to not to cry over the situation.  
  
"Dude, Amelda got the lead on you...all ya gotta do is bounce on back and get Mokuba back," Jounouchi replied.  
  
Seto shook his head. "I don't even know how to find him, or where to begin to look."  
  
"So that's it?"  
  
Seto blinked. "What's it?"  
  
"Yer brother gets nabbed, and it's the end of the world?" Jounouchi shook his head. "This is such bullshit! There's no way someone like you could give up so easily on this!"  
  
Seto returned his gaze to the floor. "I just...I just can't figure out where he is. I've tried everything; I've searched the Net, checked databases, tried numerous methods of tracking his locations, and have found absolutely nothing. I have exhausted my sources."  
  
"Look at me!" Jounouchi suddenly commanded. He did not bother waiting for Seto to reply; the dirty blond instantly took ahold of Seto's shoulders. "Seto! Seto,_ look_ at me."  
  
As if his name were a command for an act, the brunet slowly raised his head, his hurtful stare meeting with the gaze of the dirty blond.  
  
"Seto...I never thought I'd wind up sayin' this, but...yer a lot smarter than this. A hell of a lot. You **can** figure out a way to find that Amelda guy and get yer bro back...ya just gotta use what happened to ya to help ya and not keep ya from doin' what needs to be done!"  
  
Seto lowered his eyes. "Even if I were able to figure out a way to save him, the fact of the matter is that I failed him."  
  
Jounouchi frowned, but it was more of a saddened frown than a frustrated or angered one. "Kaiba...Mokuba is really important to ya, I can understand that. I got a baby sister myself—"  
  
"No; you don't understand," Seto interrupted. "I'm the only family he's got."  
  
Jounouchi slightly tilted his head to the side. His hands still rested on Seto's shoulders. "Because yer parents are dead, right? What about yer other relatives? Don't they help out at all?"  
  
"They..." Seto bit his lower lip. "I can't tell you."  
  
Jounouchi put on a stern face. "Kaiba...I told ya that ya can't keep on keepin' secrets."  
  
The brunet's lips moved as if he were speaking though no words were heard.  
  
Jounouchi's hands slowly lowered; they hovered just above the brunet's elbows. "Hey...ya know, ya got a lotta faces that I've seen...but this one looks like the most honest of 'em. I can see a lotta the hurt ya been goin' through...goddamn, ya really did a good job hidin' it when you were bein' Kaiba or Hirano or whoever...but now, things have gotten real crazy an' shit. Yer startin' to come apart, and ya got nobody to put ya back together 'cause yer so busy makin' sure that nobody gets anywhere near you...shit; it's no wonder yer feelin' like this. Ya just can't keep pretending."  
  
Jounouchi continued to watch Seto as the brunet had shut his eyes to consider Jounouchi's words. Jounouchi shut his eyes as he sighed.  
  
Seto looked over at Jounouchi, the pain remaining on his face. "Like I said, I'm the only family he has left, as he is mine. We've been parentless for a very long time, you see, so I was forced to grow up quickly. Our mother was a sickly woman; she died soon after Mokuba was born. When I was eight, his father was killed in an accident, and we were both shipped off to an orphanage."  
  
"Oh damn...so that explains why Mokuba's so important. That's rough."  
  
Seto stared at Jounouchi with a grim expression. "Since the death of our mother and his father, I promised him that I would take care of him because the way I saw it, either one of us or both of us would live a difficult life, and I would be damned if he was going through any kind of hardship at all. Needless to say, I had to make a hell of a lot of sacrifices on my part to make this work out, and if I need to make any more, then I won't hesitate to do so."  
  
Jounouchi appeared strangely forlorn as he ingested Seto's explanation; he almost reached out to touch the brunet's shoulder but held it back as he was unsure that it would be the right thing to do. He decided that talking was the best thing to do.  
  
"Shit, that's understandable, but it sounds to me that yer killin' yerself just to make sure he's got the best there is to offer. I mean, ya gotta be there for him, yeah; but it sounds like ya don't worry about yerself much, if at all, and that's just not healthy, man."  
  
Seto closed his eyes. "Perhaps. But I certainly won't respect myself much if I am unable to find Mokuba again. It's imperative that I bring him back."  
  
"Look; I understand that. But ya shouldn't beat yerself up over somethin' that was beyond yer control. Whoever this Amelda is, he's got it out fer ya fer some unknown reason, and now he's fuckin' with yer family. It's normal to be upset for not doin' yer best, but ya gotta make it a priority to make things right again!"  
  
Seto blinked a few times, his head lowering. "Stop it. You're making it sound so easy."  
  
"Shit; nothin's ever easy. I just happen to always learn the hard way, so I'm used to doin' things the hard way. I just wish there was somethin' I could do somethin', ya know? Like do somethin' that could help ya...but I don't know what ya want. D'ya even know what it is that ya want?"  
  
"Sleep," the brunet whispered.  
  
Jounouchi cupped a hand to his ear. "Huh?"  
  
"I want to get some sleep. It's been a long day." Seto repeated as he lay down on his side, facing away from Jounouchi.  
  
Jounouchi shook his head. "Okay. If that's what ya need, then by all means." I wish ya wouldn't sidestep me so much, though. I'm just tryin' to help.  
  
"You can't help me with this," Seto whispered as he clutched the dark coloured sheets.  
  
Jounouchi said nothing.

* * *

"How is he doing?"  
  
Jounouchi glanced at the tanned mature woman before lowering his eyes.  
  
July's lips flattened. "Forgive my pressing, but just what exactly happened?"  
  
"Something personal."  
  
July nodded. "Are you leaving?"  
  
"No," Jounouchi answered. "I'm just gonna let 'im get some rest." He slowly stretched. "Hopefully a little nap will help 'im come to his senses."  
  
"Well, you know you're welcome to stay however long you would like. I just recently stocked the refrigerator, so help yourself." July yawned. "Goodness; it's barely eleven and I am already feeling tired. My age must be catching up with me."  
  
Jounouchi nodded. "Well, maybe you too should get some rest, huh?"  
  
July chuckled. "Oh no...So long as I can make rational decisions, I can afford to stay up. Just make sure that **you** get some sleep, so you can have enough energy, okay?"  
  
"Sure thing, 'mom'," Jounouchi joked. "By the way, thanks for callin' me."  
  
July nodded. "I figured you would know how to best handle the situation. Have a good night."  
  
"You too," Jounouchi replied as he opened the door and entered the room for the second time that night. As he shut the door behind him, he looked up and noticed that Seto was sleeping soundly in the bed. He slowly approached the brunet.  
  
"Man...yer awfully peaceful lookin' when yer sleepin'," Jounouchi whispered to himself as he inspected the sleeping beauty. He suddenly felt his eyelids becoming heavy with weariness, and a yawn confirmed to the dirty blond that he should heed the July's suggestion to slumber.  
  
Jounouchi looked around the room, his brows knitting together as he made the realization that there was only one bed in the room, and the only other place to sleep was the floor.  
  
_Shit. I can't sleep on the floor; I'm still feelin' kinda sore after that fight with Kaiba...he hits too hard at times. I can't sleep in another room either; otherwise he might wake up and sneak out before I get to him. No chairs in here...so I guess that leaves only one option.  
_  
Jounouchi quickly studied the bed, and appeared relieved. It was a king- sized bed, and Seto barely occupied half of it.  
  
_I can sleep on the other half, facin' the other way. Hopefully I'll wake up before he does.  
_  
Jounouchi yawned as he removed his blue school jacket. I gotta ask him to give me my jacket back.  
  
He lay down onto the unoccupied side of the bed, facing away from the brunet, and closed his eyes.

* * *

_Seto, wake up._  
  
The brunet fluttered his lashes. He moaned as he slowly sat upright, his hand running through his sienna tresses. "What...?"  
  
_Wow; you actually listened to me._  
  
Seto sneered. "It's **you** again."  
  
_Of course it's me; I never pass up the opportunity to lecture you._  
  
"If it's about Mokuba—"  
  
_Of course it's about Mokuba..._  
  
"—you can shove it. I already am aware of my failure."  
  
_What are you talking about? Oh, that's right. Mokuba got kidnapped, and the first person you blame is yourself._ "Oh no, I've failed, woe is me; angst, angst, angst." _What the hell is wrong with you?  
_  
"Look; I swore to him that I was going to watch over and take care of him. He was taken from me right in front of me, and I was made helpless as I watched it happen."  
  
_That's all? Oh Seto, Seto, Seto...when are you going to realize that you're only human? You can't do everything; Mokuba's kidnapping wasn't your fault._  
  
Seto lowered his eyes.  
  
_Besides, you've done far worse to Mokuba in the past. On purpose. You do remember that one time--  
_  
"Don't you **dare**," Seto snarled. "I do** too** realize my limits, and I would appreciate it if I wasn't reminded of my past...actions. I'm past that."  
  
_Liar. Your past is what's been driving you to be better towards Mokuba. You have been doing a good job, but it's destroying you at the same time. I'm surprised he doesn't notice. Oh; that's right. He shrugged it off as you going through an "awkward time". I wonder if he even knew that it was you that tried to k—_  
  
"I told you not to go there!" Seto shouted as he rose abruptly to his feet. "But...perhaps Katsuya is right...perhaps I _am_ taking this much too hard. I just...I hate breaking a promise. Especially once that is very significant."  
  
_Oh, stop with the angst. You haven't broken anything yet, unless you're out to break some arms. Mokuba still needs you. You can still be there and rescue him. That's what it means to be there for Mokuba and make sure he is okay. You need to act.  
_  
Seto nodded. "I couldn't believe that I agreed with Katsuya, but I actually agree with you as well. I need to get my head cleared and concentrate on finding my brother." He nodded to himself. "Right. I wish I knew that puppy's secret for being able to handle these hard luck situations, though." Suddenly, his features changed. "Oh shit. Ohhhh shit. Of course! Katsuya! I can't believe I hadn't considered consulting his street knowledge in this!"   
  
_Well, it's a step in the right direction. Just wake up already._  
  
As if on command, Seto's lashes fluttered, his blue eyes taking in the room of the "safe house" that he was currently occupying.  
  
He grimaced. "I hate sleeping," he moaned aloud as he tried to sit up, but noticed that something was holding him in place. Seto was perplexed by this until he glanced down and noticed a pair of strong arms wrapped around his waist.  
  
"Where...?" Seto tried to squirm out of the hold in order to find the responsible person, but the hold was just strong enough to keep him in his place. He continued to stare at the arms, noticing how muscular the forearms were and the ruggedness of the owner's hands. He could feel someone gently breathing on the back of his neck; whoever was holding him was still sleeping. Seto took in a deep breath; his nose wrinkled upon recognizing the faint scent of cigarette smoke.  
  
He put the pieces of the puzzle together.  
  
"Jounouchi!" Seto immediately broke from the hold, falling out of the bed in the process. The abrupt action awoke the dirty blond.  
  
"Wh-what th' hell?" Jounouchi slowly sat in a hunched over position. "Th' hell you hit me for?"  
  
Seto quickly stood upon his feet, though he faltered somewhat as he was still shocked over what had happened. "You were holding me in your sleep!"  
  
Jounouchi rubbed his eyes. "Say what?"  
  
"I woke up, and I noticed that your arms were around my waist, like I was your lover or something," Seto huffed.  
  
Jounouchi stared at the brunet blankly. "That's all?"  
  
Confusion dampened Seto's hysterical state. "...this is not a big deal to you?"  
  
Jounouchi smiled as he shook his head. "Naw. People tell me I'm a cuddler in my sleep."  
  
Seto tilted his head to the side as he folded his arms. "Interesting talk for someone who parades his 'manliness' around like a trophy." He shook his head. "Never mind that. Just what were you doing sleeping in the same bed anyway?"  
  
Jounouchi shrugged his shoulders. "I was afraid you'd leave in the middle of the night, and given yer condition and all, I didn't want ya doin' that, so I figured if I stayed in the same room, I might have had a better chance of catchin' ya when ya woke up."  
  
"You could have slept on the floor, puppy," Seto growled.  
  
"Heh; there ya go with the dog cracks," Jounouchi noted as he leaned back. "Anyhoo, I couldn't sleep on the floor. I'm still a little bruised from our last fight. Boy; ya kick too damn hard."  
  
Seto smiled.  
  
Jounouchi's eyes widened. "Whoa...hold on there! Is Little Boy Blue actually smilin' there?"  
  
"I just...I just don't know what to think now."  
  
"Aw come on. I'm not makin' this up, Kaiba. Ya kick too hard. I'm gonna be needin' a hot water bath, with them salts or somethin'."  
  
Seto looked upwards at Jounouchi. "You are such a jackass," the brunet stated as he tried to restrain a chuckle. "Those are some clever excuses you've come up with just to cop a feel."  
  
"Say **_what_**?"  
  
"Maybe I'm just trying to distract myself from my current problem, but I want to settle this first."  
  
"Settle what?"  
  
"Your reason for holding me like you did."  
  
"I told ya! I'm a 'cuddler'!"  
  
"Yeah, sure. Just admit it already, Katsuya. You have a thing for me."  
  
"Waitaminnit! Look at the pot callin' the kettle black, eh?" Jounouchi accused as he pointed at the brunet. "Yer the one who started it all, bonin' me in that one fight!"  
  
Seto's cheeks reddened. "That...was an accident. And besides, your attempted evasion practically proves it. You **do** have a crush on me."  
  
"No; I don't. I just find the thought of you in a wet shirt hot."  
  
"I'm the object of your little fantasies?"  
  
"No thanks to you, with that tight leather and your chest—oh my God! Do you always have to show that thing off?"  
  
"I'm not responsible for your prying eyes."  
  
"They wouldn't pry if they weren't so damn...so damn big! I swear, yer tryin' to make me a queer, man!"  
  
"I wasn't trying to do anything. I'm just..." Seto bit his lip in discomfort for what he was about to admit. "I'm just very aware of my sexual magnetism, so I just go along with it."  
  
"Oh Jesus...ya mean, yer like one'a them sluts, but...but like, some kinda man- slut."  
  
"Yes," Seto replied. He suddenly realized what Jounouchi meant. "Wait; _**no**_!"  
  
Jounouchi laughed. "Gotcha!"  
  
"That wasn't funny," Seto pouted as he faced away. Jounouchi casually approached the sulking brunet, a sheepish grin on his face.  
  
"Well...if ya didn't think that was funny, then yer really not gonna be amused by _this_."  
  
"By what, precisely?" Seto demanded as he turned to face Jounouchi, only to suddenly find Jounouchi pressing his slightly chapped lips against the brunet's fine lips, catching him in a surprise kiss. Jounouchi had wrapped his arms around Seto's waist to ensure that the brunet would resist as little as possible. He needn't have worried; Seto was far too surprised by Jounouchi's unexpected action to move, and he was far too enthralled by the kiss to even think about doing anything else.  
  
He could feel Jounouchi's tongue feeling and lapping against his own; begging for the brunet's own to play with him. Seto complied, his own tongue playing the same game as Jounouchi's. The brunet could feel Jounouchi's hands wandering up the small of his back, and as far down as to cop a fee; Seto raised a brow.  
  
The kiss felt like minutes, maybe longer. Seto couldn't help but admit to himself that he was enjoying this moment, and couldn't wait until they finally broke apart to ask Jounouchi what the hell he did that for.  
  
As if on cue, Jounouchi slowly backed away, breaking the kiss in the process. He smirked. "So? Was that funny?"  
  
Seto slapped him across the face.  
  
"Ow!" Jounouchi held a hand to his stinging cheek. "The hell was that for?"  
  
"Your wandering hands," Seto flatly stated as he rested his hands on his hips.  
  
"Then I guess yer gonna have to keep on slappin' me 'cause I'm about to cop me another feel!" Jounouchi charged towards Seto.  
  
"Oh, you better not try it!" Seto parried Jounouchi's hands with ease, but he had held them up just long enough for Jounouchi to get a firm yet gentle grasp on them.  
  
"Hey; let go!" Seto exclaimed as he attempted to struggle.  
  
"Whatever ya say." Jounouchi instantly released his hold, causing Seto to fall backwards. However, Seto managed to take hold of Jounouchi's loose T- shirt and pulled on the material, dragging Jounouchi downwards.  
  
"Hey!" Jounouchi managed to break his fall by placing his palms against the floor, keeping him propped above the floor—and Seto. Seto too had propped himself with his hands, but was stunned by Jounouchi having nearly crashed on top of him, his hips almost touching the dirty blond's own. The two stared at each other with baited breath, unsure of what to make of the awkward situation.  
  
Seto's features softened as his azure eyes stared into Jounouchi's amber pair.  
  
"Jo...Katsuya..."  
  
Jounouchi smiled softly upon hearing his true name as he leaned closer and pressed his lips to the brunet's once again; the brunet accepted the kiss with neither resistance nor hesitation. Jounouchi cupped his left hand around Seto's face, his right remaining at his side. Seto ran his right hand through Jounouchi's rough dyed hair, as his left wandered around his side, finding Jounouchi's right hand. He slipped it beneath Jounouchi's hand; Jounouchi interlaced his fingers with that of Seto's in response.  
  
They were at it for what seemed like forever, when suddenly Seto abruptly broke the kiss, rising to his feet and marching towards the bed.  
  
"Hey, what the hell?" Jounouchi scrambled to his feet. "What did ya do that for?"  
  
"It was just too weird for me," Seto answered, his eyes remaining on the wall.  
  
"Well, yeah! But did it scare ya or somethin'? Or was it somethin' I did? I didn't cop a feel or nothin', I swear—"  
  
"It has nothing to do with you," Seto sighed. "It's just...I really can't explain it properly."  
  
Jounouchi scratched the back of his head. "Oh..."  
  
"But, if you must know..." Seto turned around. "...yes. I did enjoy it."  
  
Jounouchi smiled warmly. "Well, I wasn't too worried 'bout that, but that's good. I gotta admit, kissin' a guy's not that much different from kissin' a girl..."  
  
"I wouldn't know," Seto said in a soft tone.  
  
Jounouchi's jaw fell slack. "Say what? You ain't never been kissed up to this point? You have **got **to be lyin' 'cause with looks like yers, there's no way ya coulda gone so long--"  
  
Seto shot a glare at Jounouchi.  
  
"—without ever...bein'...okay, ya know; I wouldn't make such an ass out of myself if ya at least told me more about yerself."  
  
Seto frowned. "I already told you that I was an orphan, and that alone is enough for me to reveal to someone."  
  
Jounouchi nodded. "Heh. I know yer not the most open person in the world, where as me—"  
  
"You constantly broadcast yourself to the world," Seto finished as he looked directly at the dirty blond.  
  
"Yeah," Jounouchi agreed. "It's just how I am, but I guess ya knew that already. So uh...how're ya feelin'?"  
  
"To be honest, I'm not sure. I'm still upset about losing Mokuba and yet, I understand that I have a responsibility towards that promise I made to him." Seto looked over at Jounouchi with curious eyes. "But I'm also very confused."  
  
"Confused? About what?"  
  
"What do you think?"  
  
Jounouchi thought the question over, his eyes widening when he realized what Seto meant. "Oh, that! Well...I dunno. Would ya...would **you **want to pursue this?"  
  
Seto was momentarily surprised by Jounouchi's momentary use of proper speech; something considered wholly uncharacteristic of the dirty blond. It was an indication that Jounouchi was serious about the situation.  
  
Seto looked down. "I honestly don't know."  
  
Jounouchi nodded. "Yeah...I guess this really is 'weird'. I mean, I'm as straight as they get...I'm like, super straight. And suddenly, here I am jammin' my tongue down the throat of another guy, who's such a total introvert, he ain't never been kissed or nothin'..."  
  
"So is it true?"  
  
"Huh?"  
  
"Do you...like me?" Seto frowned for a moment. _I sound like such a schoolgirl..._  
  
"Do _you_ like _me_?"  
  
"Considering that I haven't strangled you for copping a feel and kissing me, then yes."  
  
Jounouchi shrugged his shoulders. "Well...I'm not so sure what to make of it, I still find it weird. But hey, I can give it a try. 'Sides, yer pretty enough to be mistaken fer a girl, so it wouldn't be so bad."  
  
"How very complementary," Seto drawled as he rolled his eyes. "Well, I suppose now that that is over with, I should try to find Mokuba again."  
  
"Huh? I thought ya used up yer resources?"  
  
Seto smirked. "I had nearly forgotten about one other source for possible information."  
  
"Oh? What would that be?"  
  
"The source is right here." Seto answered as he gently knocked on Jounouchi's head.  
  
"Hey, cut that out." Jounouchi swiped at Seto's hand like an annoyed cat. "I don't follow ya."  
  
Seto shook his head. "You have street smarts, and with street smarts comes connections to those who thrive in the underbelly of Domino that could provide clues and information as to where Amelda may be. After all, a red- headed foreigner is quite conspicuous here."  
  
"Ah, I get ya." Jounouchi reached under the bed and pulled out his briefcase, holding it up to display to Seto. "I'm pretty sure that I have a few of my contacts in this bag somewhere. Shit; I think I may have written one of the numbers in my math text," Jounouchi explained as he reached inside and dug around the inside.  
  
Seto stared at the dark leather briefcase, his azure eyes inspecting the damaged carrier, taking in the little tears and noticeable pieces of black electric tape that was used to repair the larger tears.  
  
Something appeared out of place.  
  
"Jounouchi, could I see that?"  
  
"Hrm?" Jounouchi looked up from his digging. "What is it?"  
  
"There's something wrong. I need to see your case."  
  
"Okay, but I don't know what yer gettin' at..." Jounouchi handed Seto the briefcase.  
  
Seto examined the briefcase closely, his eyes narrowed as he stared at the lower left-hand portion of the case.  
  
"That son-of-a-bitch...so that's how he managed to correctly estimate my destinations," Seto concluded.  
  
"Uh, wanna let a confused Jounouchi in on this?" Jounouchi leaned closer, his amber eyes trying to locate the spot Seto had been scrutinizing moments ago.  
  
"Amelda managed to stick a tracking device onto your briefcase. That's how he managed to find us the day he encountered us for the first time. Oddly enough, it appears to still be active...this gives me an idea. All I have to do is reverse the signal, and use it to track Amelda instead. He's constantly on the move, and I doubt that he's discarded the main equipment used in conjunction with this small tracer here."  
  
"How...?" Jounouchi's thick brows knitted together as he tried to recall any particular event in which the red-haired assassin had planted the tracking device on his briefcase. "Wait...I ran into that guy once; it was the day before our fight! He bumped into me, and when I tried to help him up, he grabbed at my briefcase at one point! Damnit!" Jounouchi punched the wall, though he restrained himself enough to not puncture the surface.  
  
Seto smiled. "Well, this little device happens to be an old model, so hacking it should be as simple as blinking."  
  
Jounouchi interlaced his fingers and held them upwards in a stretch. "Man, yer really into that hacking stuff...where'd ya learn how to do that?"  
  
"Free time. Lots of free time," Seto answered. "My briefcase is beneath the bed. Go fetch it for me."  
  
"Do I look like your pet?"  
  
"Jounouchi, fetch."  
  
"Yeah; he seems to be feelin' just fine; asshole," Jounouchi muttered as he reached underneath the bed, gasping the handle of the briefcase and pulling it out. As he rose, he was met with a surprise kiss from the brunet.  
  
"Mmmph! Mmmph-mmph mph mmphmmph?!" Jounouchi's words were muffled underneath Seto's lips.  
  
Seto quickly withdrew from the kiss. "Thank you." He took the briefcase from the perplexed dirty blond.  
  
"I thought ya felt weird about this?"  
  
"Hn," Seto snorted as he quickly cracked the combination lock on his briefcase. "I can't become comfortable with something unless I do it as often as I can, regardless of how red it makes my face. Besides, you managed to get one over on me; it was only fair that I did the same."  
  
"You are so confusing," Jounouchi concluded as he crossed his arms across his chest. "Man; what time is it..."  
  
"Almost six. You should probably get ready for school," Seto reminded as he typed furiously on the keyboard.  
  
"Man, fuck that Saturday shit," Jounouchi scoffed. "I'm gonna go find Hirutani. Sooner I settle this, the better. 'Sides, I doubt they'll be expectin' me to attack in broad daylight."  
  
"Go with what works," Seto replied as he ceased his typing to rub his temples. "The computer is zeroing in on Amelda's location. I'm gonna take a piss."  
  
"That's a bit much information there, boy billionaire," Jounouchi retorted.  
  
Seto punched Jounouchi in his shoulder as he passed through. "I told you not to refer to me in that way."  
  
"No; ya said I couldn't refer to ya as 'rich boy' or somethin'!" Jounouchi called as Seto stepped into the bathroom.  
  
"Same difference!"  
  
"Same difference, my ass," Jounouchi snorted as he glanced over at the computer. He watched the screen intently as the computer scanned the numerous addresses of Domino City.  
  
Seto walked out of the bathroom, his hands wrapped around a hand towel as he raised a brow at the blond. "Has it pinpointed it yet?"  
  
Jounouchi stared at the screen. "Well, it's not doin' anythin', so I would assume that it's found what yer lookin' for."  
  
Jounouchi scooted over on the bed to allow Seto to take a seat beside him so he could see the result. Seto frowned.  
  
"He's located in an apartment building about two miles from here. I could make it on foot easily."  
  
"So you're gonna head out now?"  
  
Seto closed his laptop shut. "The sooner I arrive, the sooner I can confront Amelda and get Mokuba back."  
  
"All right. I'll go ahead and take care of my business as well." Jounouchi sighed. "Ya know...there's that chance that neither of us will walk away."  
  
"I know," Seto reminded. "But my intent and determination is more than a match for such as small a concern as death. Just promise me that you won't do anything so wreckless when we go our ways."  
  
Jounouchi nodded lazily as he reached for his school jacket. "All right, all right. Before we go, could ya do me a favour?"  
  
Seto tilted his head from curiosity. "Hrm?"  
  
"Ya think I could get a quick feel in before we go?"  
  
"No."

* * *

**AUTHOR'S COMMENTS  
**  
This chapter was difficult to write as I wanted to go through with the Kaiba angst but also to present the moment that was long promised since back in Chapter 1—Jounouchi and Kaiba's (physical) confession to each other. It will take it some time, however, for their relationship to develop, but I promise that things will remain interesting between them even as their relationship escalates.  
  
The next chapter will definitely be intense: Jounouchi will confront the Crashers, and Seto will confront Amelda. You definitely won't want to miss the next episode—the ending alone may prove to be quite shocking!  
  
Anyway, thank you all for the reviews that you have left—almost 100; wow! I hope you enjoyed this installment, and I appreciate your reading and reviews! 


	15. Go For Broke

**Chapter 15: Go for Broke**  
  
Jounouchi had arrived at the shut-down hotel.  
  
To be precise, he was sitting in a crouched position and leaning back against a dilapidated brick wall that lay behind a damaged chain-link fence, which was a couple of hundred of yards from the building.  
  
Jounouchi peered over the wall briefly, his left index finger counting out the number of Crashers that were hanging around the exterior of the apartment building. He noticed a group of five rolling dice for money, and on the far right stood two other Crashers who were merely loitering.  
  
Jounouchi returned to his original position, his lips flattened in a frustrated grimace as he stroked his chin with the pad of his thumb.  
  
_Shit. Whose bright idea was it to just waltz in there in broad daylight? Oh wait, that's right: me. I oughta just punch myself fer such a great idea, but I have a feelin' that a good deal of the Crashers are more than willin' to do that for me.  
_  
He briefly peeked over the wall, again frowning as he slumped back down behind the wall with an annoyed sigh.  
  
_%"Jounouchi, if I may give you a word of advice," Seto suggested as he picked up his briefcase.  
  
"Yeah? If yer tryin' to talk me outta chargin' in there wrecklessly—"  
  
"I'm not going to tell you how to do things. I'm simply giving you my 'two cents', as the Western cliché would go..."  
  
"Ah. So, uh...so what is it that ya gotta say before we get goin'?"  
  
Seto made no reply, instead he clutched his arms tightly around himself as if he were cold. He licked his lips to moisten them, his azure eyes concealed behind his eyelids as he appeared to be deep in though, searching for the right words.  
  
"Seto?" Jounouchi appeared concerned.  
  
Seto opened his eyes; the intensity that usually accompanied the azure pair were instead replaced with obvious worry.  
  
"It's nothing...I just want to suggest that you go with whatever strategy you have that will guarantee your surviving all of this."  
  
Jounouchi smiled warmly. "Gettin' through tough scrapes is like my specialty, but I'll be sure to remember yer words particularly."  
  
Seto gestured as if he wanted to say more, but instead sighed when he failed to do so. Jounouchi, having taken notice, simply smiled.  
  
Despite his stern expression, Seto's cheeks revealed a tinge of redness. "Good. I would be terribly disappointed if you didn't return."  
  
"Ha; ya know what ya really mean is that you'd break down if I didn't return."  
  
Seto looked back at the dirty blond; his lips in a coy smirk. He retreated from the safe-house, his left hand clutched around the handle of his briefcase and his right resting in his pocket.  
  
Jounouchi watched the retreating brunet with compassionate amber eyes, his lips forming soundless words._ %  
  
_Wish I told ya those words, Seto, Jounouchi lamented as he looked up at the sky. I wanted ya to know that yer the reason I'm gonna make it outta this one. I hope ya manage to survive yer confrontation, 'cause I'll never forgive myself if I don't tell ya in person.  
_  
Jounouchi held his right fist to his chest, inspecting the bandages he wrapped around the knuckles. He kissed each individual knuckle.  
  
"Don't let me down, boys. This is gonna be the big one." He smiled as he stared at his fist for a few moments before he sprang to his feet, shoved his hands into his pockets, and casually strode towards the Suzuki building.  
  
The loitering Crashers were the first to notice the approaching dirty blond, their cigarettes dropping from their fingers from the surprise of seeing the renegade on their turf.  
  
Jounouchi grinned as he held his hands up. "Not lookin' to fight ya cronies...I'm just here to settle things with Hirutani."  
  
Jounouchi glanced over his shoulder and noticed that the five Crashers that were gambling moments ago had completely surrounded him.  
  
"Oh man," Jounouchi chuckled. "Okay. Y'all don't seem too happy to see me, which is understandable considerin' that I realllly fucked Hirutani up. But hey; I had spoken to Kenshiro, and we've got an understandin' that this is between him and—AAGH!"  
  
One of the punks struck Jounouchi on the small of his back with a lead pipe, catching the dirty blond off-guard. Jounouchi staggered forward, but much to the surprise of the Crasher, Jounouchi had turned around, gazing at the punk with anger.  
  
"What the fuck is wrong with ya?" Jounouchi demanded as he rubbed his back. "If yer gonna fuckin' hit me with a fuckin' pipe, go fer the back of the head; damn! Otherwise--" Jounouchi snatched the pipe from the stunned Crasher—"otherwise, I'm gonna have to do _this_!" Jounouchi swung the pipe like a baseball bat, striking the Crasher in the gut and swung again, striking the punk squarely on his jaw and sending him five feet into the air.  
  
"So, have we learned anythin' today?" Jounouchi inquired as he threw the pipe aside. The six remaining crashers glanced at each other and suddenly raised their fists and charged at Jounouchi simultaneously.  
  
"Gimme a break," Jounouchi muttered. He dodged a punch thrown out by one Crasher, and retaliated with a swift uppercut, his fist connecting with the punk's jaw. Jounouchi quickly lowered his arm, bending it and thrusting it in a reverse motion, elbowing another Crasher that had attempted to sneak behind him. The dirty blond quickly pivoted on his right foot as he threw out a left forward punch, his fist striking against the chest of a third Crasher.  
  
There were only three that remained standing. Jounouchi regarded each Crasher with caution, his amber eyes watching each punk as they circled around them.  
  
"You guys wanna fight, or are ya just gonna circle me? I kinda have to be in there, ya see," Jounouchi reminded. "Besides, it's not like yer gonna get anywhere, ya know? I ain't even breakin' a sweat or nothin'. You guys're just wastin' yer time 'cuz I'm gonna beat ya all down anyway."  
  
The Crashers appeared to hesitate, looking at each other as Jounouchi's words appeared to sink into their heads. They shrugged their shoulders and stepped aside, clearing the path towards the door.  
  
Jounouchi tilted his head, appearing perplexed. "Uh...gee, I didn't actually expect you guys to....to actually let me through without a fight."  
  
One of the Crashers shrugged. "Well, if ya got prior business, then why should we get out asses kicked over that, huh? Shit, we're just gonna smoke, maybe have some beers." The other Crashers nodded as they waved Jounouchi off and walked away.  
  
"The hell...?! Why the hell didn't I say all that sooner...wasted those moves for nothin'," Jounouchi muttered as he entered the run-down hotel.

* * *

Mokuba's brown eyes remained on the crimson-haired assassin, who was taking the time to clean out one of his handguns. Amelda briefly looked up, noticing that the boy was watching him, and smirked.  
  
"You don't need to worry. I have no plans of killing you."  
  
Mokuba frowned. "No, but you're gonna kill my brother!"  
  
Amelda raised a curious brow. "Amazing...not only are you finally speaking to me since I kidnapped you yesterday, but you know English," He held the barrel of the firearm to his eye to inspect it. "I suppose with money like yours, it can afford a good education, huh?"  
  
"I go to a normal school," Mokuba retorted as he folded his arms. "Just why do you wanna kill my brother?"  
  
Amelda raised his brow. "I'll answer that if you answer something that's been bugging me."  
  
Mokuba shook his head. "No way!"  
  
"Then I guess I can't answer your question." Amelda put on a sheepish grin as he put his gun back together.  
  
Mokuba sighed. "Fine, jerk! What do you want to know?"  
  
Amelda's ashen eyes directed themselves at Mokuba. "You say that Seto Kaiba is your brother, but to be honest, I see little resemblance. Are you his step brother?"  
  
Mokuba sneered. "Of course not! We're related...sorta. We have the same mom."  
  
Amelda smirked. "Half-brothers. Makes sense enough, then." He reached for a combat knife that lay across a dusty table. "Okay...to be fair, I'll answer your question. The reason I'm out to kill your brother is because I'm being paid to."  
  
Mokuba tilted his head. "That's...it?"  
  
Amelda's lips tightened in a thin line as he stared at his reflection in the blade. "No. I'll tell you why in just a moment."  
  
"All right, all right...I hate waiting, though," Mokuba reminded as he approached a window. As quickly as the blink of an eye, a smaller combat knife whizzed past the boy's head, landing on the wooden frame that surrounded the window.  
  
"I told you to stay away from those," Amelda reminded as he once again admired his reflection in the combat knife. "I'd black 'em out, but I can't leave you here alone so I can go buy paint...unless of course, I locked you in. But then Seto might arrive, rescue you, and I'd totally fuck up my chance. "  
  
Mokuba turned around and stuck his tongue out at the redhead. "When my brother gets here, he's gonna kick your ass. Just so you know."  
  
"Mmmhmm. And when he does, I'll be sure to inform him that his little half- brother has a mouth on him. Just so you know."  
  
Mokuba stuck his tongue out at the assassin, who chuckled with innocent amusement.  
  
"Oh, how you remind me of Miruko at times..."  
  
"Who?"  
  
Amelda promptly set the combat knife back onto the table. "My little brother. Your eyes have that shine to them, much like Miruko's...and he had rather wild-hair too."  
  
Mokuba blinked. "Where is he now?"  
  
Amelda motioned to the ground. "Dead; killed in an explosion. You see, our home was ravaged by a war that was raging there..." He clenched his teeth as he uttered this. "That pointless war took away my family and my home. After Miruko's murder, I vowed to find those responsible and make them pay for destroying so many lives."  
  
"But what does this have to do with my brother?" Mokuba demanded, his demeanor having suddenly shifted to impatience.  
  
Amelda shut his eyes. "The assassinations I committed placed my name on worldwide top ten lists, and now everyone behind a badge has decided to pursue me. The reason your brother is to be an unfortunate casualty is because—what was that?"  
  
The echo of glass shattering had interrupted Amelda; the assassin whipped his head in the direction of the door as he heard it. He frowned as he slowly reached for one of his combat knives and slowly crept towards the door, the knife held tightly in his right hand. For his own safety Mokuba remained silent as he watched Amelda slowly and ever-cautiously open the door. The assassin glanced over his shoulder.  
  
"Mokuba...you are to remain here. The windows are nailed shut, and I'm locking you in from the outside to ensure that you don't escape...not because I'm being absolutely evil, but because I don't want you getting caught in the crossfire." He smiled briefly before shutting the door.  
  
Amelda held his knife close to his side as he slowly descended the stairs, his ashen eyes scanning each corner as best to his ability. He quickly glanced down and barely managed to avoid stepping on a piece of a shattered mirror. His head remained held high to allow him to check his surroundings as he knelt down. He looked away briefly so he could carefully pick up the reflective shard. The assassin quickly rose to his feet and ran to the closest wall.  
  
He glanced over his shoulder before he flattened himself against the wall and crept towards the edge. He slowly lifted the shard and held it outward just enough for the reflective shard to give him a view of what lay behind the wall. Amelda could see the broken window; he tilted the shard to give him a view of the floor, which revealed translucent pieces and a chunk of a brick.  
  
Amelda relaxed his arm as he stood away from the wall, looking over the corner and emitting a soft whistle from his lips.  
  
"Tch...I get all worked up, and for what? Just a buncha punk-ass kids."  
  
He turned around to return to the room he was hiding out in, but instead he felt a sudden and rather powerful force smacking onto the right side of his face. The impact caused Amelda to spin around as he crashed onto the floor.  
  
"Cripes! What the blazes—" Amelda rolled onto his back and held up his head in hopes of getting a good look at the attacker.  
  
His jaw fell slack.  
  
"I honestly hope you intentionally used an outdated tracking device on Jounouchi and that you had planned for me to find you because unless you were being careless on purpose, you are a very stupid man," Seto stated as he lowered his right leg.  
  
"Doesn't matter whether I meant to be careless or not," Amelda muttered as he sat upright. "You're here."  
  
Seto smiled sarcastically. "I'm going to hit you, Amelda. I'm going to hit you, a lot. And it's going to hurt. _**A lot**_. I'm not hurting you just because you're trying to kill me, or not even just because you took Mokuba. I'm going to hurt you because you're really pissing me off, and inflicting pain upon you will make me feel so much better."  
  
"Tough talk from a kid, I gotta admit," Amelda replied, his right hand scrambling for his knife. "But I've got battle experience...you're just a punk kid who's still wet behind the ears!" Amelda swung his arm across horizontally. Seto barely saw the glimmer of the blade; he barely had time to hop backwards in order to dodge the attack. Amelda flipped the blade, catching it with ease in his grip, the tip of the blade facing his elbow.  
  
Seto looked down and noticed a faint red streak on his chest. He glowered at the assassin. "I have a hell of a lot more experience than you even think, you son-of-a-bitch. You're more than welcome to continue underestimating me, but it will be something you'll regret."  
  
"I'm petrified, really," Amelda jested as he slowly circled the brunet. "It's gonna end here, so you better use your all if you expect to stand a chance in hell against me."

* * *

"Whoa!"  
  
Jounouchi barely had the opportunity to dodge the small whizzing object that was aimed dead center at his forehead. The object instead barely grazed his left earlobe.  
  
Jounouchi scowled at the group of Crashers that had greeted him in the lobby. Three of them wielded yo-yos as weapons, the circular objects dangling up and down from the cords that were wrapped around their index fingers. Two other Crashers stood behind the yo-yo wielders, cracking their knuckles in preparation in case Jounouchi managed to defeat the yo-yo wielders.  
  
Jounouchi glanced upwards and noticed Kenshiro leaning against the banister on the upper floor.  
  
_I take out these guys, and yer next. I hope yer ready._ Jounouchi exhaled as he returned his gaze to the opponents that stood before him.  
  
"So? Ya gonna fight, or are ya gonna play with yer toys?" Jounouchi demanded.  
  
"Ya know the only way to the boss is through us," reminded the middle yo-yo wielding Crasher.  
  
"Suit yerself." Jounouchi charged towards the quintet, his sights aimed at the two Crashers that stood in the back row. The yo-yo holders extended their toys simultaneously. Jounouchi dodged low and left, evading the two yo-yos successfully but the third slammed into his ribs on his left side. Jounouchi stumbled back a couple of steps.  
  
"Aagh! Okay!" Jounouchi cried as he clutched his side. He raised his left. "Not the best idea. What am I gonna do?"  
  
"Maybe shut up and give up already?" one of the weaponless Crashers suggested.  
  
"That was one of them rhetorical questions," Jounouchi pointed out, pleased with himself that he managed to say such a word. He charged towards the punks once again, this time focusing on the trio with the yo-yos. The trio thrust their trinkets outwards once again simultaneously, and Jounouchi shifted his body in an effort to dodge them. He dodged to his right, swayed backwards to avoid one that was headed straight for him, but as he pulled himself forward a yo-yo slammed into his right shoulder. Jounouchi stumbled back a couple of steps once again.  
  
"Okay, so maybe chargin' ain't the way to be doin' this," Jounouchi concluded as he held his shoulder. _But I gotta get past them guys if I'm gonna get up there and face Hirutani. Shiiiiit. If I had my briefcase with me, it could give me somethin' of an advantage.  
_  
He loosened his stance when he made a realization.  
  
_Damn! What I wouldn't give to have Kaiba's briefcase right about now. Then again, Kaiba'd be so fast he woulda been on his way to Hirutani—_**focus**_, Katsuya! What I would need is a metal surface; hell, a hard surface like a big-ass board would be good enough for me.  
_  
"Would ya either fight or give up already?"  
  
Jounouchi's concentration returned towards his adversaries, their positions having remained unchanged during Jounouchi's personal exchange.  
  
Jounouchi raised his fists. "Okay. This is the third-and the last-time I'm gonna try this. After that, well...we'll just see how things go." _But how the hell am I gonna stop those yo-yos...?  
_  
Jounouchi slowly, cautiously stepped towards the quintet, his eyes quickly scanning the lobby for any piece of debris that could possibly serve a purpose in the rather challenging battle. As he returned his gaze to the punks, he barely caught notice of a large wooden board that lay just in front of the Crashers' feet. Carefully using his stern expression to mask his excitement for this lucky discovery, Jounouchi increased his pace, so far repeating his twice-failed tactic of charging directly at the Crashers.  
  
Cue the yo-yos. Rather than coming out simultaneously, the Crashers thrust them forward one at a time, and at different-hitting levels. The first was aimed at Jounouchi's head; the dirty blond swayed backwards to avoid the attack. He barely continued his charge when he felt the second yo- yo successfully strike his left kneecap, causing Jounouchi to fall forward.  
  
_Perfect._ Jounouchi smirked as he reached his hands outwards. Not only had he managed to break his fall, but he grasped the wooden board. The instant he rose to his feet, Jounouchi instantly held the board to his head. He breathed a sigh of relief when he heard the _thunk!_ sound of a yo-yo deflecting off of the board's surface.  
  
He left no room for hesitation. Jounouchi thrust the board forward after the parry, a smile curling on his lips as soon as he had knocked out the middle yo-yo holding Crasher. In the short moment that it took for the other two yo-yo holders to realize what just happened, Jounouchi punched them in their faces at the same time, crushing their noses upon impact. He briefly glanced at the spot where Kenshiro stood, and was angered when he noticed that he was no longer standing there.  
  
"Fuckin' hell!" He gazed at the two remaining Crashers. "I'm givin' the both of you a five second head-start before I smash yer faces like these two down here."  
  
The two glanced at each other with perplexed expressions, unsure of what to make of the situation and what course of action they should take. Jounouchi heaved an impatient sigh as he shook his head, and promptly punched the Crasher standing on the left in the gut and arched his fist in a forty-five degree angle, the blow crashing into the punk's face and crushing the bridge of his nose. The two Crashers hadn't even fallen to the floor by the time Jounouchi raced up the stairs.  
  
"Kenshiro! Hirutani! I'm comin'!" Jounouchi exclaimed as he reached the apex. "Send out however many cronies ya want; I'll take 'em all on!"  
  
He ran through the passage, glancing into each door for any other Crashers that may have been waiting by to ambush him; he was disappointed when nobody jumped out from the doors.  
  
The trail ended with a large door, apparently the remains of what was once the hotel's executive suite. Jounouchi stopped, his determined eyes staring at the doors. His briefly cracked his knuckles, and took a deep breath.  
  
He kicked the door open with such force one of the doors was torn from its hinges upon impact. Jounouchi stepped inside, looking around the room for any possible clue as to where his former friend and former boss were hiding. He immediately took notice of the backside of a torn leather chair that stood in the center of the room.  
  
Jounouchi stepped faster, his disregard for caution evident. "You son-of-a- bitch, you think you can call me out and not even show yer face once; I'll fuckin' have ya for that, Hirutani—"  
  
Jounouchi swung the chair around, his fist prepared to strike at the person that sat in it. However, when he saw the person that was sitting in it, his fist was a trifle lower due to the surprise.  
  
"Sorry, bud, but it's just you and me now."  
  
"Kenshiro? Where the hell is Hirutani?" Jounouchi demanded.  
  
"He's not here."  
  
"Ya mean to tell me that I took time outta my day to find someone that wasn't there, even though ya said he was gonna be here?!"  
  
"I never said that he was gonna be here, Jounouchi."  
  
"You sure as hell implied it." Jounouchi grabbed Kenshiro by his jacket. "I'll give ya until the count of ten to tell me where Hirutani is before I fuck you up real badly. One..."  
  
"Jounouchi..."  
  
"Two..."  
  
"Hirutani's dead."  
  
Jounouchi froze. His eyes were wide from the unexpected news, his grip having become looser. Kenshiro leaned back, escaping from the weakened remains of Jounouchi's grip.  
  
"No way," Jounouchi whispered as he gazed at Kenshiro. "Yer all lyin' about that! Hirutani's not fuckin' dead!"  
  
"He was killed a month and a half ago...we woulda told ya sooner, but you'd have never listened. I'm sorry to have tricked ya like this, but it was the only way to get ya to listen."  
  
Jounouchi was furious. "You put my friends at risk...even nearly injured a close friend of mine, and beat up students at my school, for **this** shit? For this **bullshit**?!"  
  
"If I were lying, would I be holding these?" Kenshiro displayed three small gold chain necklaces to Jounouchi.  
  
"...he never took those off," Jounouchi murmured as he inspected the chains. He glared at Kenshiro again, the anger remaining. "He put ya up to this, didn't he?"  
  
"I know it's hard to believe, but if ya ask almost any of us, we could tell you, in exact detail, just what happened that night. Ya see, we were haning' out over at J'z, kickin' it back with some smokes and beers. Hirutani had just gotten out of the hospital, so he was already plannin' on gettin' even with ya. Suddenly, we see Shoichi fallin' down the stairs. Someone beat him up pretty bad, so most of us got ready for a fight, grabbin' our yo-yos and stun guns and the like. I figured I would just stand around and watch things unfold—especially if the intruder was you, which we all assumed it would be, since we figured word got to ya that Hirutani was out.  
  
"Of course, that wasn't the case. Walking down the stairs was this guy...it was nobody we knew or anything. He wore a hoodie over his face, so we never got a real good look at the guy, save for his mouth, which was always smilin'...gave me the creeps. He also had a sword, but we all assumed again, thinkin' it was just some wooden piece of shit. Anyway, this guy, he looks right at Hirutani, and holds up a photograph and asks 'Have you seen this kid?'. Hirutani fuckin' laughed, and told us to just waste 'im. I still didn't do anythin' 'cause I wanted to see what this guy was made of.  
  
"He was a fuckin' monster. He managed to take out everybody like they were just nothin' to him! He moved so friggin' fast, too, he was like a blur, and nothin' we threw at him seemed to faze him either! He simply laughed and just brutally beat the shit outta the guys. As soon as he finished that, he then walked up to Hirutani, and asked again, 'Have you seen this kid?' Hirutani's pissed. He raises his fists, ready to break this guy's nose, when the guy moves fast; real fast, and winds up stabbin' Hirutani through the gut with his weapon, which turned out to be a real motherfuckin' sword. The tip was like, inches from my own gut. He then asks one more time if he's seen the kid, and Hirutani shakes his head. The guy removes his sword, and Hirutani just drops, dead. He then looked at me, smiled, and ran outta there as quickly as he came in."  
  
Jounouchi was silent as he processed this information, his expressions ranging from surprised, to skeptical, to anger.  
  
"Bullshit," he concluded.  
  
"What?"  
  
Jounouchi shook his head. "How long it take ya to look up that urban legend, huh? 'Guy walks in lookin' for someone in a photo and then beats the shit outta everybody'. Shit; I think I saw that in a cartoon when I was a kid."  
  
"I could take you to the place where we buried him, if ya'd like," Kenshiro suggested.  
  
Jounouchi shook his head. "I don't do cemeteries."  
  
"Well, how else are ya gonna believe me? I figured the chains would have been enough—"  
  
"I don't believe ya because I know, and **you **know how important I was to the Crashers. I was the best one there, even better than Hirutani, and ya made sure that ya all manipulated me to the best of yer abilities to ensure that I remained there, and now yer all testin' me again to see just where I'm at! So ya know what; take yer invitation and shove it. I'm outta here." Jounouchi stormed towards the remainds of the doors.  
  
"Wait, Jounouchi."  
  
Jounouchi did not bother to turn around. "What is it? I got other things to deal with."  
  
"I know. But I have one other thing to point out to you about this matter...I know ya don't believe me 'cause ya think this is some ploy to get ya to come back, but I'm bein' honest. Ya said so yerself that aside from yerself, I was one of the only Crasher with a sense of honour. Chew on that fer just a minute."  
  
Kenshiro stared at the dirty blond as he remained standing in the doorway in contemplation. An unusual silence fell upon the room as the Crasher awaited Jounouchi's reply.  
  
"So, if ya are bein' sincere, so what? What does that mean to me?" Jounouchi turned around to face Kenshiro. "If this hooded bastard is fer real, I'm gonna go after him." Jounouchi looked away. "But it ain't because I'm doin' ya any favours. This hooded man stole the fight I had been achin' for."  
  
"Do what you want, Jounouchi. If ya ever decide, though, to return to our crew—"  
  
"Don't even finish that sentence, man. Ya know where I stand on that. 'Sides, the Crashers are done. They were done the day my fist pounded Hirutani into the ground. But hey; if YOU ever decide to give up this gang- banging bullshit, yer always welcome to the underground battles." Jounouchi immediately set out to vacate the hotel, disallowing Kenshiro to make any final statements.

* * *

Seto slowly walked around the condemned building, his eyes scanning the area for any possible signs of his pursuer and his ears listening for any unusual sounds.  
  
"HAA!"  
  
Amelda managed to catch Seto off-guard with a surprise knife strike. Luckily for Seto, his sidestep prevented a mere slash from becoming a serious injury.  
  
Amelda flipped the blade in his hand. "You're a fast little bastard, I'll give you that. That won't help you, though, because eventually you're going to tire out, and when that happens—"  
  
Seto thrust his right leg forward, his heel striking the redhead in the chest. "A little tip for you, Amelda: If you actually expect to win, shut the fuck up and fight."  
  
Amelda glared at the brunet, his left hand patting at his chest. "I'll try to remember that." He readied his knife, and lunged at Seto, swiping horizontally twice. Seto easily dodged the attacks and countered with an open-palm strike. Amelda ducked as he sheathed his knife, and successively countered with a rising knee strike to Seto's jaw. Without giving Seto much time for recovery, he followed the attack with a high-hitting roundhouse kick. Seto barely guarded the attack, the force of which caused Seto to stumble from loss of balance. Amelda smirked as he kicked low at Seto's right shin, forcing the brunet to hunch over, and finished the combination with an elbow hook to Seto's face, knocking him to the ground.  
  
Seto tried to sit up, but Amelda placed his foot atop his chest and pressed down to make sure that the brunet would not get up.  
  
"Like I said, 'wet behind the ears'. You put up a decent fight, though not a memorable one. Oh well..." Amelda reached for his holster and removed his Desert Eagle handgun. "I'll make this quick. It'll be a merciful kill; you won't even feel a thing."  
  
Seto stared at the nozzle of the gun with wide eyes, his mind frantically searching for a way that could free him from this predicament.  
  
Amelda clicked back the hammer. "I hate having to kill someone so young, but it's either you or me."  
  
Seto bit his lip as his hands scrambled for something, anything, that he could try to use as a means to getting freed. His right hand suddenly felt the sharp edges of a shard of glass; he couldn't tell how large this piece was, nor did he care. It was sharp and that was what mattered. He grasped at the piece—  
  
"Good-bye, Seto Kaiba—AAAAGH!" Amelda suddenly felt a sharp pain near his ankle, disrupting his opportunity. Seto promptly threw the shard aside and grabbed at Amelda's shin and pulled forward, knocking the redheaded assassin to the ground.  
  
Seto back-sprang to his feet and promptly kicked the gun out of Amelda's grip. He stared down at Amelda with hatred in his gaze. He then turned his attention towards the handgun, picked it up, and pointed it at Amelda.  
  
Amelda smiled. "So, you have me right where I want me...pull it."  
  
Seto just stared.  
  
"As I said, it's either you or me. If you don't kill me, I will kill you."  
  
Seto held the gun back, and with a _click_, removed the ammunition clip inside, and placed it inside his pocket. He handed the gun back to Amelda.  
  
"If you're going to fight, then fight for real. None of this gun shit," Seto snarled as he turned away. "Besides, I'm not finished with you just yet."  
  
"Don't you even try coming off as honourable...fucking stabbed cut me with a piece o' glass," Amelda retorted as he slowly reached for his knife.  
  
"You were the one who pulled that gun!" Seto narrowly dodged the sudden knife strike, the blade only able to leave a small slash on Seto's shirt. Amelda continued slashing his combat blade, mixing things up with horizontal and vertical strikes and changing between high and mid-strikes. Seto was still able to dodge the strikes but was unable to find an opening for an effective counterattack; Amelda's consecutive attacks were coming out so quickly.  
  
Amelda continued his slashes, his ashen eyes remaining focused on the azure pair that was before him. He sneered. "All it takes is for one of us to let up, and I know you can't keep up like this forever."  
  
Seto frowned; he knew Amelda was right. "If that's all it takes for this repetitiveness to come to end already, then I'll be happy to oblige—but you'll have to do so in my place." He spun low, extending his right leg, sweeping Amelda off of his feet. The assassin fell back, landing on the back of his head. His knife fell from his grip in the process.  
  
Seto kicked the knife away. "That's twice I've knocked you down, and twice that I've disarmed you. You've got little left save for your fighting talents, but they're nothing compared to my skill. Take me to Mokuba, **_now_**, because I'm done with this game."  
  
Amelda sat up. "All right...he's through that door."  
  
Seto followed Amelda's extended index finger. He raised a brow as he stared at the door.  
  
"It won't explode when you open it." Seto glared at Amelda. Amelda shrugged his shoulders. "I'm being serious. I'm an assassin, not some terrorist."  
  
Seto frowned as he turned the doorknob, revealing a rather narrow alley before him. He turned around.  
  
"You're certain he's out there?"  
  
"Oh for Chrissake's; **_yes_**."  
  
Seto sneered at the assassin as he stepped outside into the alleyway. He glanced around at the tall brick buildings that stood at either side, took notice of the rusted fire escapes, and noticed the point where the alley dead-ended. He sighed as he shoved his hands into his pockets.  
  
"I don't see him," Seto muttered to himself as he continued looking around, the alley. A rather sarcastic smile curled on his lips as he nodded his head.  
  
"Okay; very funny, asshole. I bet you're sneaking up on me with a knife right now, too. I'll fucking have your arm for that." Seto whipped around, his arms raised in a defensive aikido stance.  
  
There was nothing.  
  
He frowned, his brows knitting together in a mix of confusion and frustration.  
  
"Playing hide-and-seek," Seto snarled. "Amelda! You want to play kids' games, take it to a schoolyard!"  
  
"Hey!"  
  
Seto looked up to see Amelda waving to him. The scarlet-haired assassin was standing in a fire escape.  
  
"I'm all the way up here! Why don't you come up here if you want to finish this so badly?" Amelda challenged.  
  
Seto shook his head as he made his way back to the building, when he heard a strange zipping sound. Instinctively, he hopped back a step, watching as an almost invisible "line" whizzed past his face, inches close to grazing his nose. He appeared confused and angry as he glared at the "line" and proceeded to step underneath it when he heard the same sound and fell backwards, narrowly avoiding another "line" that would have cut into his shins had he reacted any later.  
  
As he rose to his feet, he heard more of the sounds of "lines" zipping by him; six more times to be precise until a "web" had formed around him, trapping the him between its lines.  
  
Seto stared at the "lines", panic almost overwhelming him. "What...what the hell is **_this_**?"  
  
Amelda chuckled. "It's a little trick of my own design...it's a trapping network constructed of cutter wires...when a victim is trapped within the 'web', their only choices are to either remain trapped inside until they meet their fate, or to try to get out—and be sliced into pieces. You see, before you got here, I set the traps on the various bars of the fire escapes. After I hit a switch, the wires are fired out. There are small 'claws' on the wires, designed to latch onto the bars at the opposite end over there." He smiled. "Pretty clever, huh?"  
  
Seto glanced back and forth at the various wires, his anger rising. He looked back at Amelda, a burning hatred in his azure eyes.  
  
"You back down on our fight, and worse you back down on your word. So help me, if I find a way out of this, I **_will_** kill you!"  
  
"Don't recall making any promises, or guarantees for that matter," Amelda sighed as he reached for something inside the apartment. "Even if you could find a way out of there, I won't let you live long enough to do so." He pulled his sniping rifle into plain sight.  
  
Seto's eyes widened. "At the very least, you could tell me what monetary amount could have possibly motivated you to take out some...kid!" He hated that he had to refer to himself as such.  
  
Amelda arched a scarlet brow as he tested the scope on his rifle. He smirked. "Stalling for time, are we? Well...it's not a long answer, so it's okay if I allow you another minute to live." He lowered the rifle. "The truth is, I wasn't hired to kill you because the money was so appealing. The thing is, I took this job because the person who hired me promised me my freedom."  
  
"Freedom? What do you mean by that?"  
  
"I'm a wanted criminal. It's becoming harder and harder for an assassin to lead an inconspicuous life these days, and given how systematically I worked to destroy my targets, I stood out like..." He paused. "Like I do now, here in Japan; a foreigner of European nationality, sticking out quite easily here."  
  
"So you're doing this because the person that hired you promised to make sure you wouldn't be arrested for the assassinations you committed."  
  
Amelda nodded. "Correct. As I said, it's either you, or me. I can't go to prison, I'm afraid. I know that sounds awfully selfish of me and you seem to be a good kid, but there's still too much for me to do to let it all end here."  
  
Seto's shoulders fell with defeat. "So...so then this is where it ends for me."  
  
Amelda looked on at Seto with forlorn eyes. "If it's any consolation, I hate that I have to do this to someone unknowing and so young. I'll make this quick. It'll be over before you know it."  
  
Seto stared down at his legs and noticed the red laser sighting crawling upwards; he tightly shut his eyes. _Shit! This wasn't how it was supposed to be at all...a death like this is an embarrassment, and to die knowing that I failed to save Mokuba is even more so. Mokuba...I am so sorry for failing you, twice. I just hope you realize that my efforts were not in vain, and that you grow up to be a much better person than I was, so that you don't have to sacrifice your self to make things better for the ones you care about.  
_  
Amelda peered into the scope, doing his best to focus the crosshairs on Seto's head. He sighed to himself.  
  
_Seto Kaiba...I may not be a good man, but I can understand your plight._  
  
His index finger reached for the trigger, ever-so-slightly applying pressure to it—  
  
"Noo! Don't kill my big brother!"  
  
Seto's eyes snapped open, a smaller figure with wild obsidian hair standing in front him. "Mokuba?"  
  
"**NO**!" Amelda screamed, hoping to pull the gun away in time but his actions had long overridden his thought.  
  
The crackling sound of gunfire echoed through the alley.

* * *

**AUTHOR'S COMMENTS**  
Quick note: Whenever something is between a "%" symbol, that denotes a flashback. I prefer using a symbol over saying "flashback"; it'd have been too obvious if I were to say "flashback" and even interrupt the story's flow a bit.

And that's the end of Chapter 15! Quite a cliffhanger for an ending—you'll definitely have to read the next chapter to find out just how Mokuba got freed, and what happened after Amelda fired the shot.  
  
As for Jounouchi...some of you may feel that Hirutani's murder was a cop-out as far as his piece of the story is concerned. I won't blame you if you do, but understand that the hooded man is a VERY significant piece of the puzzle—Jounouchi's story is long from over.  
  
Some people may also raise some 'brows at the fact that Mokuba is written as Kaiba's half-brother. Truth be told, I was always bothered by the fact that Seto and Mokuba share little similarities physically, plus, in order to work out Seto's origins (which are going to be revealed later), it was best to write their relationship as such.  
  
Anyway, I hope you all enjoyed the chapter. Thanks for the reviews (100!!! Thanks everyone!), and I hope to see more! Chapter 16 is the final chapter in Part 2, so don't miss it! PEACE!!


	16. Picking Up the Pieces

**Chapter 16: Picking Up the Pieces  
**  
Seto slowly opened his eyes one at a time, his uncertainty rising.  
  
_Think, Seto; think. What just happened?_  
  
He recalled Amelda pointing his rifle at him in preparation to fire shot that would end his life, but then he suddenly heard a shout; Mokuba had suddenly jumped in between the two—and that was when Amelda had fired.  
  
_I should be dead,_ Seto realized to himself when he saw that there was no fresh wound on his body. He looked down, towards Mokuba. The boy's back was facing him. He appeared to be holding something familiar up to his head.  
  
Seto blinked a few times as his face turned pale. _Could Mokuba have...?_  
  
"M...Mokuba?" Seto whispered. "Can you...can you hear me? Mokuba?"  
  
The youth made no movement, and Seto began to tremble. _No... he was right in the shot, so that means..._ His lower lip began to quiver; he bit down as hard as he could to fight back against the wave of emotion that threatened to overwhelm him.  
  
Suddenly, the boy slowly lowered the large object as he turned around, his cinnamon eyes looking up at his brother's azure eyes. He was holding Seto's metalic briefcase.  
  
"Seto?" Mokuba murmured. He realized that he too was alive. "Seto! We're...you! You're okay!" He dropped the briefcase and dashed towards Seto, arms spread out for an embrace.  
  
"Don't get any closer!" Seto warned abruptly, halting Mokuba in his tracks. "I'm surrounded by cutter wires."  
  
Mokuba immediately began to take notice. "I'll find a way to get you outta this! Just gotta find **some**thing."  
  
Seto suddenly appeared puzzled. "Mokuba, how did you get out? And how did you know that my briefcase was bullet-proof?"  
  
Mokuba shook his head. "Oh that? It wasn't my idea. **He** threw it to me." He pointed upwards. Seto glanced up to see where Mokuba's index finger lead. He saw Amelda standing in his spot, too frozen in shock to do anything. Seto looked down at the floor below Amelda, and his jaw fell wide open. He tried to find his voice; but had been so surprised by what he was seeing that it was rather difficult.  
  
He took a moment to swallow, and tried to speak up again. "Jounouchi? Is that...is that you?"  
  
Jounouchi nodded, smiling when he saw that Seto was okay. His arms were extended as if he had recently hurled a large object. "Holy shit...ya mean I managed to save ya guys on time?"  
  
Seto nodded. "Of course, idiot! We're both okay!"  
  
Jounouchi smiled. "Thank fuckin' Christ. I remembered that time ya used that thing to save me...I thought I'd return the favour!"  
  
Seto couldn't help but chuckle in response. "You clever boy..."  
  
Jounouchi climbed up the stairs of the fire escape to the floor where Amelda was residing and reached him in little time, snatching the horrified assassin's rifle from his grip with ease and aimed the large weapon at him. "Allright...do ya realize what ya just did? Ya not only nearly killed Kaiba, but ya nearly offed his kid brother tryin' to do it!"  
  
Amelda simply stared forward, his skin pale and covered in a sheen of sweat. "I...I didn't know that Mokuba would have escaped...how could he have?"  
  
Jounouchi sneered. "Shit; language barrier. I forgot." He threw the gun aside, and grasped Amelda by his shoulders, pinning him to the ground.  
  
"Get. Kaiba. Out. Ya better understand that! Get him out!"  
  
"Dental floss," Amelda whispered hoarsely.  
  
"Say what?"  
  
"It's just dental floss. They're not really wires...I only said they were because it works as an effective fear tactic. All you gotta do is cut them with a knife..." He paused as he looked up at Jounouchi's confused expression. "Oh. Right...'language barrier'," he said with a chuckle, and reached for the cuff of his pants on his left, pulling it up and revealing a rather sizeable jackknife.  
  
Jounouchi's eyes widened, his fists raised to strike at the assassin, when he saw that Amelda was merely offering the concealed weapon to Jounouchi.  
  
"I think I get it now," Jounouchi realized as he took the knife. He rose to his feet and headed for the window, leaping through the fire escape to reach Seto as quickly as possible.  
  
Mokuba stepped aside as Jounouchi dashed towards the brunet, knife in hand. "Now hold still, Kaiba...this should only take a second or so...!"  
  
Seto stared at Jounouchi. "What use is that knife going to be against the wires?"  
  
Jounouchi sighed as he cut through the floss network. "It's dental floss. Amelda just claimed it to be a wire 'cause he knew that would keep ya still long enough for him to shoot ya."  
  
Seto narrowed his eyes to slits upon hearing the name, and the moment Jounouchi cut through enough of the floss, he instantly snatched the jackknife from Jounouchi's hands and leapt for the window.  
  
"Kaiba! _Stop_!" Jounouchi exclaimed.  
  
Seto ignored Jounouchi as he leapt from each fire-escape level until he had reached the floor where Amelda was residing. He entered through the window, finding Amelda kneeling in the center, a defeated demeanour on his features and pose. Seto growled as he immediately rushed towards Amelda and grasped his throat with one hand, slamming the readhead onto the floor. Amelda's ashen eyes became wide; he had not expected such a reaction.  
  
"As I told you, I would kill you as soon as I found a way to escape from the web—I still have the intention to make good on my word," Seto snarled as his free hand produced the jackknife Amelda handed to Jounouchi earlier.  
  
Amelda froze. "Wait...you don't understand any of this!"  
  
"What do you mean, 'you don't understand'? I understand damn well that you were stupidly willing to take an assignment to off someone in hopes of earning your freedom, regardless of the risk of whoever hired you to instead bretray you to your pursuers." Seto's eyes narrowed to slits. "Who was it?"  
  
"Nobody you know," Amelda wheezed.  
  
"It doesn't matter if I know this person or not, tell me so that I can go after him!"  
  
"Truth? I don't know who he is, either."  
  
Seto's shoulders fell, his arm lowering and his grip loosening; his expression was blank. Amelda tried to catch his breath as he watched the jackknife with an uneasiness; he knew perfectly well how to take the knife from the brunet's grip and turn the situation around but as soon as he took a quick glance at Seto's eyes, translating the thought into action became an impossibility.  
  
At that moment, Jounouchi stepped inside. "Kaiba!"  
  
"You keep your distance!" Seto warned, his eyes not once looking away from Amelda.  
  
"If yer gonna kill him—"  
  
"I'm NOT going to kill him—"  
  
"My Japanese may not be so good but I know enough to know that you just denied your threat to kill me, which is an absolute contradiction," Amelda noted.  
  
"Shut the fuck up; this isn't about you at the moment." Seto glanced at Jounouchi for a split second. "I am giving you my word; I won't kill the bastard!"  
  
"Then give me the fucking knife before ya do somethin' yer gonna regret!"  
  
"Just let me handle this!" Seto held the knife up, the handle facing his chest. He returned his hateful gaze to the man that lay before him. "Now as for you...That excuse you gave was unforgivably stupid, and I should very well plunge this knife into your throat for that line of bullshit."  
  
Amelda sighed. "The truth is that I **have** seen him, but not his face. He kept it obscured beneath a hood, convincing me that looking upon it could jeopardize the mission that I accepted. I know mere physical facts such as his build, mannerisms, and voice, but that's it."  
  
"Would he come?" Seto asked.  
  
"What?"  
  
"If he were not to hear anything from you, or if you returned to him empty- handed, would he come here?"  
  
Amelda pondered upon this for a moment. "I...it's likely."  
  
"Good. Let him know then about what happened here. Let him know everything that I know. Tell this employer of yours that if he wishes me dead, that if he has the balls to commit the killing himself, then he needs to come here to Domino City, and look me up. Let him know that I am waiting, and that I will be ready for him."  
  
Amelda frowned. "You still talk tough, kiddo. I've seen what this man can do. One thing's for sure, he's not going to be happy to see me empty- handed."  
  
Seto flipped the jackknife shut. "Then maybe you shouldn't even bother with him, and start running. You run, and you don't come back here ever again or so help me, I **will **finish what you started." He handed the weapon back to Amelda; Jounouchi raised his fists.  
  
"Jounouchi, he won't do a thing; there's no need to be on the defensive."  
  
Jounouchi sneered. "I don't trust 'im in the least, Kaiba. He might turn around and chuck that thing right into yer chest or somethin'."  
  
Seto shook his head.  
  
Amelda reached for his rifle as he looked back at Seto. "You're too trusting of one's integrity at times, Kaiba. At least your blond friend there knows to keep his guard up at all times."  
  
"Out."  
  
"Whatever," Amelda shrugged as he pocketed his knife inside his left boot. "This isn't over, just so you know. I'm not saying that to threaten you, I'm saying it because it's true. I won't need to tell him what you said, because when I fail to show up, he'll come here anyway. Trust me on this...you haven't seen the last of me, because as I said, it isn't over." He shouldered his gun and hurriedly jogged out of the room.  
  
Seto continued to stare at Amelda's retreating figure, the same hatred in his eyes. He appeared as though he were caught in a trance when Jounouchi suddenly rested a hand on his shoulder. Seto shook for a moment before looking over at Jounouchi.  
  
"Kaiba...ya gonna be alright?"  
  
Seto's shoulders sunk as he lowered his head. "To be honest, I don't know. It's been very rough, this past week."  
  
Jounouchi nodded. "You an' me **both.** Listen...if I hadn't been there, would ya really have--"

Seto shook his head. "I'm...I'm not really sure."

Jounouchi's lips formed a thin line. "Hey; Mokuba's waitin' outside. What say we just get the hell outta here, an' ferget this mess fer the time bein', huh? I bet yer real happy to see 'im again. And hey, maybe ya should get some rest?"  
  
Seto sighed as he turned to face Jounouchi. "I think rest..." He clutched his abdomen tightly. "I think that's a good idea..."  
  
Jounouchi moved closer to Seto. "Are...are y'alright?"  
  
Seto nodded. "Just weary...haven't gotten much rest and..." He suddenly collapsed.  
  
_Damn; again!_ Acting instinctively, Jounouchi managed to catch Seto just as his head was about to hit the floor.  
  
_This happened that one time we fought,_ Jounouchi recalled as he raised Seto in an upright position. _It'll be hours before he wakes up, which means I might have to carry him all the way home...but I don't know where in the hell he lives—  
_  
"Seto!" Mokuba had suddenly burst into the room; he gasped when he saw Jounouchi carrying his elder brother.  
  
"Mokuba; it's not what it looks like!" Jounouchi assured.  
  
"I know he's not dead!" Mokuba ran up to the duo. "It's just that I get worried when he's sick like this!"  
  
"Uh, 'sick'?"  
  
Mokuba shrugged. "That's what the nurse told me whenever it happened. He probably didn't get enough sleep. We gotta get him back home!"  
  
Jounouchi stood with Seto firmly in his hold. "Lead the way, 'cause I have no idea where ya guys live."  
  
Mokuba nodded. "No problem. But I don't know this area, so it'll be hard gettin' outta here."  
  
Jounouchi shook his head. "No worries, kiddo. I know the back roads and back alleys like a girl knows a bra. I'll get us outta this district, and when we're in a familiar area, ya lead the way."  
  
"Okay!" Mokuba hurriedly ran to the door. He suddenly stopped and turned around, smiling slyly. "By the way, you're lucky my big brother couldn't hear your little analogy! You'd totally have gotten into trouble for being a bad influence on me!"  
  
Jounouchi nearly face-faulted at the boy's observation.

* * *

"Jesus** Christ**!"  
  
Jounouchi's mouth gaped open the instant he stepped inside the large mansion. He craned his neck to take in the motifs that decorated the ceiling, then looked all around, turning as he did so for he still carried Seto with him.  
  
"This place is fuckin'** huge**!"  
  
"Shhh! Geez, you really are loud," Mokuba hushed as he locked the door.  
  
"An' I thought this place looked big on the outside...man, ya guys are really loaded, huh?"  
  
"Well, my brother does kinda run a company."  
  
"Man...it looks like some kinda Euro-palace, for real..."  
  
"Don't let Seto hear you say that. He hates this place." Mokuba removed his shoes. "Be sure to take your shoes off."  
  
Due to his hands currently being full, Jounouchi used his right foot to pull down on his left sneaker. "Huh. I didn't know ya rich guys followed tradition."  
  
"Hey; we may be rich, but we're people too," Mokuba replied as he began to unlace Seto's boots.  
  
"Yeah; Seto keeps threatenin' that he'll break my arm if I call 'im a 'rich kid'."  
  
Mokuba chuckled as he placed Seto's boots inside of the closet. "Yeah; it's a twitch that he has. He thinks people would think that he's so spoiled, when he's really anything but."  
  
"Ya have maids an' butlers though, right? 'Cause I hear rich people have that."  
  
Mokuba placed Jounouchi's sneakers inside of the closet, next to Seto's boots. "Just one."  
  
"And she's able to clean up the **whole** place?"  
  
"No way! Seto makes sure to clean up after himself, and makes sure that I do the same as well. She pretty much does the cooking and makes sure that I do my homework. The only other staff we have is the limo driver and the security guards that show up to watch the place over the night," Mokuba replied as he walked down the foyer; Jounouchi followed behind closely.  
  
Jounouchi stopped in his tracks when he reached the foot of the stairs. The staircase was several feet wide, with a violet carpet lining the center of the stairs.  
  
"Come on!" Mokuba called as he dashed up the stairs, skipping every other step.  
  
Jounouchi slowly nodded as he slowly followed after the boy, his eyes still staring at the stairs with amazement.  
  
Mokuba opened the door. "This is his room."  
  
Jounouchi briskly yet carefully entered the room, his eyes widened as he was overwhelmed by the size. The room was, to put it simply, huge. On the opposite end of the room stood long, floor-to-ceiling windows, and Jounouchi's left was a large oak dresser and two doors; he deduced those doors lead to the closet. On the dirty blond's right was a large, king- sized canopy bed.  
  
"This is bigger than my whole apartment," Jounouchi muttered as he walked towards the king-sized bed. He noticed the covers were disheveled, and smirked.  
  
Ever full of surprises, Jounouchi thought as he gently laid Seto atop the bed. He gently brushed the back of his hand across the slumbering Seto's forehead, smiling to himself when he found no trace of sweat. He pulled the covers over the brunet, and turned towards Mokuba.  
  
"Looks like he'll be alright. How long d'ya suppose it'll be before he wakes up?"  
  
"I'm not sure," Mokuba shrugged. "Once, it took him nearly three weeks to wake up."  
  
Jounouchi's jaw fell open. "Are ya serious?!"  
  
"_Shh_! Yes!" Mokuba whispered rather harshly. "I can't tell you exactly what went on, but something terrible happened to him when he was fifteen and he didn't wake up for nearly three weeks."  
  
"Musta been some kinda accident." Jounouchi walked towards the door. "Why don't we go outside...can't disturb 'im an' all."  
  
"Yeah..." Mokuba headed for the door, exiting the large bedroom first. Jounouchi took a moment to look on at Seto, before sighing and closing the door behind him as he exited.  
  
"I hope it don't take him three weeks to get up," Jounouchi stated as he shoved his hands into his pockets once again and leaned against the wall.  
  
"I get really worried when this happens. Thankfully it doesn't happen so often, but when we were kids..." Mokuba stopped.  
  
Jounouchi peered at the boy. "What happened when ya guys were kids?"  
  
"I really shouldn't tell you. Seto would be pissed if I told you."  
  
"Well, how about if we pinky-swear on keepin' the silence, eh?" Jounouchi offered his right pinky finger.  
  
"That stuff's for kids!" Mokuba dismissed as he rested his hands on his hips, a pouty expression on his face. "You just really, **really** gotta promise not to tell."  
  
"I won't tell a single soul."  
  
"You better not. Okay. Well...I'm sure you pretty much guessed that we don't have any parents..."  
  
"Eh, Seto told me once. Dead, right?"  
  
Mokuba blinked. "Wow. You must be a good friend if he told you **that**."  
  
Jounouchi scratched the back of his head.  
  
"Anyway, we were orphaned when we were really little. When Seto was five, mom died from a sickness she got not long after having me. When he was eight and I was three, my dad was killed in a car crash. Apparently, we were supposed to be left with a big inheritance, but dad's relatives took the money for themselves. They wanted to take custody of me and dump Seto in an orphanage, but I refused to go anywhere without him so they dumped me in with him."  
  
Jounouchi shook his head. "Damn, that's evil."  
  
"Things were rather tough at the orphanage at first...I was easily picked on since I was the youngest, but Seto always stood up for me; he would sometimes get into fights if they were being really mean. He got me started on chess, which he was learning as well, and I set aside one day each week to play with him, because I was afraid he'd be lonely. He insisted that he was okay, though.  
  
"Over time, I made friends with some of the kids there. We'd play games like kickball and soccer and stuff. We had fun. I tried to talk Seto into it—he preferred to read his books and other stuff like that. I finally had to promise to play chess with him, just to get him to play. It was so cool! Seto totally played like he had always played soccer before, but he insisted that it was his first time playing. We won the game, but while my team and I were celebrating, Seto suddenly passed out. The adults rushed him to a room that we used for whenever one of us got sick, and a doctor came and said that Seto overexerted himself, and said that he was too weak to have been playing so rigourously.  
  
"When that happened, Seto didn't wake up until the next day. After that incident, the adults working at the orphanage wouldn't let Seto play any outdoor games with the other kids, convincing him that he was too sick to play. They pretty much forced him to stay in bed, and he would just sit there reading books and learning strategy games, because that was all he could really do. I got worried about him, but he insisted that he was okay. I decided to spend one day each week to play chess with him so that he wouldn't get too lonely." Mokuba shook his head. "Sorry if I digressed; I do that. Anyway, that's when it happened the first time. This is the fourth time I've ever seen this happen."  
  
Jounouchi remained silent as he processed the information Mokuba had shared with him, his upper teeth sinking into his lower lip.  
  
"Now, you're not gonna tell, right? Seto told me that you have a big mouth!"  
  
"Hey; I told ya that I wouldn't!" Jounouchi insisted. "It's just amazing...that he's been treated like that. Man; no wonder he's so anti- social."  
  
Mokuba's eyes shifted for a moment before focusing on Jounouchi again. "Well, he's got a friend now, at least. Hopefully things will be better for him." He smiled.  
  
"Uh yeah; just gotta keep the faith, or somethin'."  
  
Mokuba yawned. "...hey, Jounouchi?"  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"Ya think there was any particular reason that assassin went after Seto like that?"  
  
Jounouchi hunched over a trifle. "Yer askin' the wrong person, kiddo. I don't even know what that was all about, truth be told."  
  
"Oh. I hope we never have to deal with him again."  
  
Jounouchi's lips pursed together as he turned his head away. I don't think we're gonna be that lucky...  
  
"Anyway; I'm tired. I think I'll go ahead and turn in...I'm gonna sleep outside of Seto's room, so that when he wakes up, I don't miss it," Mokuba declared as he walked towards a linen closet.  
  
"Sounds like a plan to me. I'll spend the night here too, if that's okay."  
  
"What about your parents?" Mokuba inquired as he pulled out a large, folded blanket and set it on the floor.  
  
"Eh; what **about** them? I'll be a'ight. Is there a room or somethin'—"  
  
"It's the second door after Seto's room," Mokuba replied as he pointed to a door down the hall. "There's also a little refrigerator next to your bed, so if you get hungry, you can snack on something!"  
  
"Damn. Ya guys thought of **everythin**'."  
  
"Well, would you actually **want** to try wandering around here at three in the morning? I've tried to do that before. It sucks!" Mokuba dropped a pillow atop the blanket.  
  
Jounouchi chuckled. "Makes sense. Say, what about all them lights downstairs?"  
  
Mokuba smiled as he dropped another pillow onto the pile. "I've already set them to automatically turn off at a certain time. Don't worry about it!"  
  
"Geez...everything."  
  
"These should be okay." Mokuba flopped a pillow atop a rather large pile. "I'll be sleeping on the floor and all, and I wanna be as comfortable as possible." He picked up the blanket and two of the pillows and approached Seto's door, his feet kicking the other three pillows towards his destination. "You have a good night, okay?"  
  
Jounouchi nodded as he stopped in front of the door to the guest room. "You too. Rest easy, alright? Been a long day."  
  
He opened the door and quickly stepped inside. The room was darkened but not completely so due to the faint light left from the dusk sky outside. Jounouchi noticed some of the light through a dark curtain that covered the large window. He slowly walked towards the window, making sure he wouldn't trip over any objects, and upon reaching the window, he fumbled around for a cord to pull on.  
  
_Yes!_ He gripped around a string and gently pulled on it, drawing the curtains open. Jounouchi glanced to his left and right, then up and down. He scratched his head, then shrugged his shoulders and stepped onto the king-sized bed.  
  
_Whoa._ Jounouchi was surprised by the softness of the bed as he lay down upon it. He rolled to his side and faced the private refrigerator and reached over, his hand gripping the handle and opening it. The light illuminated his features as he inspected the contents.  
  
_Huh. No beer. Ah well._ Jounouchi nonchalantly closed the door and rolled onto his back, his arms raised and resting behind his head. His amber eyes shifted over to the opened window. Surrounding the majority of the premises were various trees, their leaves displaying their autumn colours. The sky was gradiating from dusk hues to nighttime. Jounouchi squinted his eyes, and could make out the faint traces of the Domino City skyline.  
  
He sighed and shook his head, his eyes closing.

* * *

A ceiling.  
  
That was the first thing that welcomed Seto as soon as he opened his eyes. His lashes fluttered a few times as he tried to become more familiar with his surroundings. He slowly turned his head to the side, and noticed a nightstand table. HIS nightstand table.  
  
He rubbed his eyes as he tried to wake up. When he had stopped, he noticed a bandage on his upper arm. He furrowed a brow for a brief moment, then glanced over at the nightstand table. His glass of water was still there albeit empty, and the small lamp and amber medication bottle were also there.  
  
There was also a folded piece of paper.  
  
Seto slowly propped himself in an upright position with his left hand as his right reached for the note. It appeared to have been written on notebook paper; Seto couldn't hold back the small smile on his lips. He unfolded the note, and it read:  
  
#_Hey, Blue-eyes:  
  
Sorry I couldn't be there when ya woke up. After everything that nearly happened with you and your brother, I decided to go off early and see my little sister, make sure she's all right. Ya know how that is, I'm sure. I'll see ya before ya get back in school since there's a buncha stuff I need to tell ya.  
  
Katsuya_#  
  
He fell back onto his bed, his head gently landing on the pillows, a rather relieved look on his face.

* * *

It was dusk as Jounouchi stepped off from the bus. A corner of a white envelope peeking from the pocket of his denim jacket. He flicked a few of the many errant blond strands of hair from his face, as he squinted his eyes to get a look at the setting sun.  
  
He reached into his pocket and pulled out the envelope. His first name was written in a viridian ink; it was surrounded by miniature stickers of puppies.  
  
_"Remember, Katsuya...don't open it until you get home, okay? Please be sure to keep what you read to yourself."_  
  
He closed his eyes as the sweet sound of his sister's voice rang in the back of his mind; his expression strained with a painful sadness as he continued to delve into a memory.  
  
_%"Shizuka! Shizuka!" A small boy cried as he chased after the speeding car. Inside, a young girl cried out, reaching out hopelessly towards the boy.  
  
"Shizuka!" The boy stopped in his tracks, cursing at himself for failing to stop the events that took place. When he had caught his breath, and he turned around, teeth gritting, and demanded:  
  
"Daddy; why did ya let this happen?!"  
  
The inebriated man that stood behind the boy stared dumbfoundedly with bloodshot eyes at the retreating vehicle. He stood in a slouched position, a large glass beer bottle tightly gripped in his right hand. %  
_  
_Shit; I promised myself I wouldn't cry, but goddamn; I never really understand how badly I miss Shizuka until I see 'er in person.  
_  
He shoved the envelope, and his hands, inside his pockets. He stared at the setting sun for a few more moments before turning away and beginning his trek home.  
  
He suddenly stopped; someone stood in his path.  
  
"...Kaiba."  
  
Seto pointed to a bench that stood in between two vending machines. "Do you have time to talk?"  
  
Jounouchi shrugged his shoulders. "I'm only goin' home; so yeah. I got time." He soon followed Seto to the rather secluded area, seating himself next to the brunet.  
  
The two sat in silence. Seto stared off into the distance watching the dusk sky while Jounouchi leaned back, legs spread apart and arms resting over the backrest of the bench.  
  
"So, what had happened between you and Hirutani?" Seto inquired suddenly, shattering the silence.  
  
Jounouchi frowned. "Apparently, he's been dead. They were usin' all that drama for just a ruse fer me to replace 'em. I told 'em where to stick it, and walked outta there."  
  
"Dead? How anti-climactic."  
  
"Yer tellin' me. I doubt they'll really try anythin' at this point...that gang shit's old anyway. Underground is where it's at..." Jounouchi leaned back.  
  
"So is it over?"  
  
"I want it to be, but it's like there ain't no closure. Like there's things that I need to wrap up with that whole affair."  
  
"Usually, difficult questions tend to lead to even more questions frather than answers. It's how these things seem to work."  
  
Jounouchi sighed. "I'd rather not think about it right now. I know ya didn't come here to talk about how things went 'tween me and my ex-crew."  
  
"Thought I'd say at least something. We were being too quiet."  
  
"So what **are** we here to talk about?"  
  
Seto glared at Jounouchi. "**You** ought to know. I wanted to thank you, but I passed out before I had the chance to do so."  
  
"Fer what?" Jounouchi furrowed his brow for a moment. "Oh; that. Look; I know I said it was because I was returnin' the favour ya did me a little while back, but that really wasn't just the reason...Man, I ain't no good at sayin' this sorta thing, so bear with me here...after we parted ways yesterday to face our what we had to, I really got to thinkin'. Naw; that ain't right. It was after we...ya know, made out. When we were both fallin' asleep, and I started thinkin' about just how important ya really were. It's just so weird, cuz it seemed like yesterday, we were at each others' throats.  
  
"But yeah; the reason I saved ya and yer kid bro wasn't because I thought it was the right thing to do, it was 'cause I cared too much about ya to let anythin' else happen. Hell; I woulda jumped in front of the shot if it came down to it. Uh...so that's what I wanted to tell you. That; and that I wanted **you** to know that I had every intention of walking away after my battle with Hirutani, because you were the reason."  
  
Seto blinked; the dirty blond spoke with that proper dialect again. "So you...you did all of this for me?"  
  
Jounouchi gave a slight nod. "Unbelievable, ain't it? That's how it wound up bein', though. I used to wonder how things got like that so quickly, but I started readin' between the lines, so to speak. I caught on to the fact that ya were always tryin' to get near me, even if it were to insult me. I used to wonder why the hell anyone would do that, but I quickly figured that maybe ya were tryin' to get my attention in yer own way, since ya aren't so vocal like I am."  
  
Seto turned his head away. "Well. I must say that I'm impressed. You figured that out..."  
  
"Yeah. The how, and the why. Even before ya admitted to it the other night, I had a feelin' that ya had a thing fer me. And no; the boner wasn't the first sign."  
  
"You really didn't need to bring it up, eith—Aw, shit." Seto slapped himself on the forehead when he caught onto his unintended entendre.  
  
Jounouchi laughed. "Oh man, that was great."  
  
Seto playfully pursed his lips. "I suppose that foot-in-mouth syndrome you're always suffering from IS contagious after all."  
  
Jounouchi sneered. "Oh, so it's like that; huh?"  
  
Seto smirked and leaned in, his lips brushing against Jounouchi's. Jounouchi blinked with surprise, but he quickly acknowledged the brunet's sudden action and accepted Seto's kiss.  
  
"I like your mouth much better when my tongue's in it," Seto whispered as he slowly drew away, his tongue running across his lips.  
  
Jounouchi smirked. "Tastes better too."  
  
Seto smiled coyly as he leaned forward again. However; Jounouchi shifted his head to the side. Seto was surprised by Jounouchi's sudden movement; he was prepared to make a demand over Jounouchi's action; instead he moaned as he felt Jounouchi's lips on his neck. Jounouchi grinned as he brought his kisses down to the brunet's collarbone and back up his neck again. Once he had finished he slowly stood up, standing Seto up with him. He looked him directly in the eyes.  
  
"You're welcome," Jounouchi stated softly. He closed his eyes as he closed the distance between himself and Seto, and kissed the brunet firmly on the lips. Seto wrapped one arm around Jounouchi's waist; his other hand gently ran through the dirty blond's rough tendrils.  
  
Seto could feel Jounouchi's hands wandering downwards, past the small of his back and resting firmly on his hind.  
  
Seto didn't mind in the least.  
  
**PART 2: SPENT SHELLS AND HEARTSTRINGS--THE END**

* * *

**AUTHOR'S COMMENTS**  
  
Part 2 is finally concluded, but the stage has now been set for what could be the most shocking and intense part yet, the final storyline in **CONTRAST: Blue-Truth of Lineage**. Some of the mysterious origins of Seto Kaiba are going to be revealed in this arc, and a MAJOR character will be introduced. This character is the key element in the third arc, and if you've been paying attention then you already know that the setup for this character's introduction is now underway.  
  
Originally, I was going to have Jounouchi rush into the room where Amelda stood, and force Amelda to aim his rifle away from the Kaiba brothers. However, at the very last second, I instead chose for Jounouchi to have thrown Seto's metal briefcase to Mokuba, as the object played some significant role earlier in this arc. I'm a little more satisfied with the new result.  
  
Also, I'd like to assure one reviewer, Nyako-Chan—that there'll be no Xiaoyu-style fangirling to be seen anywhere, and I am anti-Jin Kazama, so there'll be little mention of him! I also agree that Hwoarang is the Korean equivalent to Jounouchi (and YES, there will be references to it galore.).  
  
Once again, thank you for your reading, your reviewing, and for your support! PEACE!!


	17. Surprise Guests

_ONE AND A HALF MONTHS AFTER THE EVENTS OF "SPENT SHELLS AND HEARTSTRINGS"..._  
  
**PART THREE: TRUTH OF LINEAGE  
  
Chapter 17: Surprise Guests  
**  
"I can't believe you talked me into allowing Mokuba to watch this," Seto drawled as he ran a hand through his hair.  
  
"Aw come on, Kaiba; this is some good stuff. The controversy alone is worthy of a peek. Besides, ya **do **owe him this much fer helpin' to save yer life a month an' a half back." Jounouchi smirked. "Ya wouldn't want to deprive Mokuba of this once-in-a-lifetime moment—especially since it might get banned again."  
  
"I bet these guys could kick your butt!" Mokuba exclaimed as he grabbed a handful of shrimp chips.  
  
"Yeah, right!" Jounouchi reached into the bowl, grabbing a fistful of the shrimp chips.  
  
"Hey, don't hog them all!" Mokuba cried as he snatched the bowl away from the dirty blond.  
  
Seto sighed as he flipped the remote in his hands. "Children, if you're done fighting over the shrimp chips, I'd like to watch this battle between Hwoarang and Forest Law."  
  
Jounouchi paused. "Hwoa-what?" Mokuba saw this as an opportunity to take control of the bowl of shrimp chips and snatched it away from the dirty blond. "Hey!"  
  
"Hwoarang is a Tae Kwon Do fighter from South Korea," Seto explained. "Apparently, he's a reputed street tough that earns money by fighting in underground circles." He glanced over at Jounouchi.  
  
"What?" Jounouchi frowned. "Are ya sayin' that he's like me?"  
  
Seto smirked. "He's practically your Korean equivalent."  
  
"What?" Jounouchi crossed his arms. "There's no way that punk is anythin' like me!"  
  
Seto glanced over at the television screen. "He just made a face that looked exactly like the one you made."  
  
Mokuba giggled as Jounouchi glared at the screen. He glared back at Seto and Mokuba.  
  
"You both suck." Jounouchi sulked. "By the way, ya know what's up with the hype around that Forest Law guy?"  
  
"His father, the unfortunately named Marshall Law, competed in the first two Iron Fist tournaments. Naturally, expectations are running high for him."  
  
"Fer someone who wasn't all that interested in seein' this, ya sure know a lot."  
  
Seto crossed his arms. "I generally prefer to know what I'm getting myself into, thank you very much."  
  
"Shh! They're gonna start!" Mokuba exclaimed as he bounced in his chair.  
  
[The announcer stood in the center of the arena, reading off the various rules of the match. Standing on the right was a dark-haired man who appeared to be in his mid-twenties. He was wearing a white wifebeater top, a pair of indigo Chinese-style pants with a scarlet silk sash tied around his waist and a pair of black fighting shoes on his feet. He stood up straight appearing disciplined though his thumbs rested in his belt in a casual act.  
  
His opponent, on the other hand, appeared to be anything but disciplined. His hair appeared disheveled and he wore a bored expression on his face as he slouched forward, not even pretending to show a hint of interest in the rules. He wore a deep blue top, denim jeans with black chaps over them, and motorcycle boots with spurs. His goggles kept his shoulder-length fiery hair out of his face.  
  
"Fighters, **READY**!" the announcer bellowed. The two fighters initiated their respective stances.]  
  
"Oh hey; I've seen you in that same stance that Whore-rang used."  
  
"It's 'Hwoarang', and I told you; he's a practitioner of Tae Kwon Do, which is what I use."  
  
[The announcer raised his arm.]  
  
Jounouchi snapped his fingers. "**That's** why it's so familiar. Gotcha."  
  
Seto shook his head and rolled his eyes.  
  
[The announcer lowered his arm. "**FIGHT!!**"]  
  
"Man...you think he's got a chance against Law's Jeet Kuno Do?" Mokuba inquired.  
  
"We'll see," Seto answered as he laid an index finger onto his lips.  
  
[Hwoarang initiated with the offensive, using a series of high-striking kicks with his left leg. Law easily defended the first three and parried the fourth kick, causing the Korean youth to stumble. Law followed his parry up with a lightning-fast back-knuckle strike, hitting Hwoarang on the jaw and knocking the Korean punk down.  
  
The crowd howled with excitement.  
  
Hwoarang sat up, muttering something in his native tongue as he wiped the blood away from the corner of his lip. He climbed back up to his feet and stood with his right foot forward.]  
  
"Anyone coulda seen them strikes comin'," Jounouchi noted.  
  
"It was a very stupid thing to pull," Seto agreed.  
  
[Law dashed towards Hwoarang, quickly closing the distance in between them. Hwoarang sneered; he quickly brought his left foot around in a reverse roundhouse kick. Law ducked and retaliated by thrusting his right fist and landing it in Hwoarang's abdoment. Despite the short distance between them, the blow sent Hwoarang flying back twenty feet.  
  
The crowd was ecstatic.]  
  
"That was the one-inch punch!" Mokuba exclaimed as he grabbed a handful of shrimp chips.  
  
[Law brushed his nose with his thumb, smirking; he appeared sure that he would win. Hwoarang sat up once again, appearing to very agitated. Law smirked; he seemed more sure of himself than ever as he slowly approached Hwoarang.  
  
Suddenly Hwoarang grinned, but by the time Law noticed the mood swing, the red-haired Korean made his move. He leapt up and stepped on the Chinese- American's left knee as if he were a step-ladder and launched himself, using the momentum to kick Law on the back of his head with his right foot—the Human Cannonball throw. Law crashed face-first to the ground. The crowd, despite their collective gasps over the surprise turn of events, cheered as wildly as ever.  
  
Law rolled to the side and stood up. Blood was dripping from his nose; he quickly brushed it away with his thumb, not unlike that of the late legend Bruce Lee. Hwoarang extended his arm, beckoning his opponent with a "come hither" motion. Law instead remained stationary, so Hwoarang shrugged his shoulders, and sprung forward.  
  
Law crouched low on the ground, his weight placed on his left foot. Hwoarang continued his approach; his eyes narrowed as they locked on Law. He then slowed down enough to raise his left leg to prepare a strike, when at that moment Law had launched himself into that air with a back-flip kick attack.  
  
Hwoarang smiled; the Jeet Kune Do fighter fell for it. His left leg remained had remained raised, at a bend—the Left Flamingo Stance. He had safely hopped back a pace right as Law initiated the swift movements used for the back-flip kick. The fiery Korean quickly hopped forward, and Law received a nasty surprise as he landed—a sharp-left-heeled strike to his chin, launching the Chinese-American fighter into the air. Hwoarang timed his next follow-up by turning around and kicking back with his left foot and quickly following with a right back-kick, striking the falling Law on his abdomen.  
  
Law crashed onto the hard surface of the ground, his breathing coming in rasps at best as he clutched his abdomen. An official rushed to Law's side, checking over his condition. He then stood, and pointed his hand at the Korean.  
  
"The winner of the second match of the Iron Fist Tournament is Hwoarang, winning with a knock-out!"  
  
The crowd roared with excitement.]  
  
Jounouchi emitted a low-pitched whistle. "Man; looks like legacy don't mean shit against devious—**_ow_**!"  
  
Seto elbowed Jounouchi on his side. "Language."  
  
Jounouchi rolled his eyes. "What I, uh, meant was that Law's legacy was no good against Hoe-rang's devious talents."  
  
"That's 'Hwoarang'! Jeez, get his name right!" Mokuba exclaimed as he crossed his arms. "That was an exciting match! Loads better than that one between Paul and that robot guy, GunJack!" He frowned as he recalled how soon the latter match had ended.  
  
"Tuesday will be the match-up between Lei Wulong and Eddy Gordo," Seto reminded as he checked a program sheet he printed from the computer. "Unfortunately, it WILL be during school hours, so Mokuba, I will be TiVoing it for us to watch later that day."  
  
"Aw...can't I stay home and—"  
  
"**No**."  
  
Jounouchi mussed the boy's wild hair. "Eh, so you'll know what happened later than others...it's not the end of the world." He smiled.  
  
"Yeah..." Mokuba agreed. "Are there gonna be any matches before Tuesday's?"  
  
"Not that I have heard," Seto answered as he shut the television off and rose in to his feet, stretching. "Anyway, it's bedtime for you, kiddo."  
  
"Wow; eleven fifteen. Total record!" Mokuba exclaimed as he stretched.  
  
Seto smirked. "And you'll be regretting it when the maid has to literally drag you out of bed."  
  
Mokuba imitated Hwoarang's sneer. "We'll just see about that!" He ran up to Seto and hugged his elder brother. "Have a good night, okay? Don't watch that match before I do!"  
  
Seto reeled back. "Mokuba, have **some** faith in your big brother." He squeezed the boy gently. "Now off to bed with you. Jounouchi and I will clean up and shall be turning in shortly."  
  
"Okay. Goodnight, Seto...good night, Jounouchi." Mokuba dashed up the stairs, the imagess of the match he witnessed on television still fresh in his mind.  
  
Jounouchi leaned in close to Seto, making sure he would speak in a low voice. "So uh, what about that webcast at school?"  
  
"Mention a word to Mokuba, and I'll beat you senseless," Seto answered flatly.  
  
"Gotcha." Jounouchi yawned. "Man; I'm beat...off to bed for us, right? Not that we'll get much sleep..."  
  
"Put the shrimp chips away," Seto reminded as he pointed at the large bowl.  
  
"Awww..."  
  
Seto leaned in close to Jounouchi. "If you put them away, I promise that it will be worth the tedium," Seto purred.  
  
Excitement filled Jounouchi's eyes. "I can get this put away in ten seconds."  
  
"Then hurry; you've already wasted one—"  
  
Jounouchi snatched the bowl and immediately dashed for the kitchen.

* * *

"Man, is this bed comfortable!" Jounouchi exclaimed as he stretched himself out onto the midnight blue sheets. "I could practically live on it."  
  
"Well, I'd prefer if you simply slept **in** it," Seto replied as he tossed something at Jounouchi, the article of clothing landing directly onto the dirty blond's face.  
  
Jounouchi hastily removed the forest green material from his face. "What's this?"  
  
"Your new clothes for sleeping in."  
  
Jounouchi snorted. "I don't do those full-on pajamas, man."  
  
"They're only the pants."  
  
Jounouchi inspected the article of clothing, nodding to himself when he saw that Seto was right. "Oh? That's it?"  
  
"Actually...I ordered it as a full set, but you're going to wear the pants. I'm wearing the top."  
  
Jounouchi appeared confused as he glanced over the silky green material he held in his hands. "So ya ordered a set, and we're splittin' it? How very...personal." He smiled.  
  
"I didn't think you'd object once you understood. It's in your size, so the top will be a little large for me."  
  
"Is that so? Put it on. I wanna see."  
  
"Fine. But you better be wearing those pants when I am done changing," Seto said as he walked towards the personal bathroom.  
  
Jounouchi smiled widely. "I'll be ready in two minutes!"  
  
"Sure you will, puppy-dog," Seto drawled as he closed the door behind him.  
  
The instant Jounouchi heard the click of the doorknob, he hurriedly removed his T-shirt, tossing the clothing aside as soon as he removed it over his head, and then unbuttoned and unzipped his ragged blue jeans, pulling and kicking them off as quickly as possible. He grabbed the silk forest green pajama pants and put one leg into the pants; he suddenly noticed that he was putting them on backwards, so he withdrew his leg, turned the pants around, and placed his legs into the pants as quickly as he could without error.  
  
He barely had a moment to admire how well they fit and looked on his strong figure when he heard the click sound of the doorknob. He instantly lay down on the bed, resting his arms behind his head to show that he had been relaxing.  
  
Jounouchi suddenly bolted upright, leaning forward to get a closer look at Seto.  
  
The top half of the pajamas appeared to be a size or two too large on the brunet. The sleeves were rolled past his wrists before the elbow joints, and the top was buttoned up save for two, which revealed the majority of Seto's chest. The top reached all the way down to Seto's lower thighs, and the slight oversize of the clothing seemed to complement the brunet's long, slender legs.  
  
"...damn..." It was all Jounouchi could manage.  
  
Seto smirked as he approached the bed. "Just the reaction I had expected you to make." He sat down on the bed beside Jounouchi, who remained staring at the brunet.  
  
Seto looked over at Jounouchi, lying on his side whilst propping himself up on his left elbow. "Not bad. I made a good choice picking those out for you. You have a nice upper body; I saw no reason to cover that up."  
  
Jounouchi blinked as his eyes locked onto Seto's chest. "...I can totally see your nipple when you lean like that."  
  
Seto blinked. "You certainly know how to compliment someone."  
  
Jounouchi smirked. "Well, I like it when somethin's peekin' like that; I can't help pointin' it out."  
  
Seto sighed as he sat up, his shirt covering up the exposed nipple. "You're such a pervert."  
  
"And yer such an exhibitionist."  
  
"I told you I—Ooooh!"  
  
Jounouchi had suddenly leaned up close to Seto's chest and was gently nibbling and sucking on Seto's recently exposed nipple.  
  
"JonoOOouchi...ahhh, you get—mmm, ohhh...get off of me!" Seto playfully pushed Jounouchi back.  
  
Jounouchi grinned. "I love to get off on ya. 'Specially in the comforts of my bedroom."  
  
"Oh, you are just a naughty, horny puppy," Seto scolded teasingly.  
  
Jounouchi held up his hands to his chest, simulating a pair of paws, and whimpered. "Does that mean I can't hump yer leg?"  
  
"Oh my—"Seto sighed. "You really are something else. You're lucky that I like you so much." He leaned in close and pecked Jounouchi on his cheek.  
  
"I know. Mannn...it's so nice to relax." Jounouchi extended his arms in a stretch. He looked over at Seto, who was going through one of his dresser drawers.  
  
"Hey; Seto! Whaddya doin'? Get yer skinny ass back over to the bed so we can make out and fondle and stuff."  
  
"Just a minute. I nearly forgot that I wanted to find something."  
  
Jounouchi rolled his eyes. "Aw, man!"  
  
"It won't be long, I swear," Seto promised as he closed the top drawer and opened the middle, instantly rummaging through it as soon as he opened it.  
  
"Just what is it that ya gotta find that ya gotta interrupt our alone time for, huh? It's not often we get time like this anymore, ya know."  
  
"Three days of private make-out time a week isn't enough for you? Shit; not here either," Seto muttered as he slammed the drawer shut and proceeded to rummage through the bottom one.  
  
"Hey; don't underestimate my drive."  
  
"You mean your 'horny'?"  
  
"Hey; shut up!"  
  
"Just calling it as I see it, Katsu," Seto stated bluntly as he knitted his eyebrows together in frustration; where **was** that object?  
  
"Oh shit; I nearly forgot..."  
  
"Aha!" Seto exclaimed as he held up a worn composition book.  
  
"Mai wants to meet you tomorrow."  
  
The book slipped from Seto's hands and back into the drawer. Seto rapidly turned around. "Jounouchi...who's Mai?"  
  
"Oh shit; I never told ya? She's this friend o' mine. We go a ways back, from my Crashers days. She taught me how to, uh, ya know; fuck. She taught me how to fuck a person right."  
  
Seto raised an eyebrow. "And may I deduce that this Mai is an older woman? Why Katsuya, I never knew..."  
  
"Hey; don't knock it!"  
  
"I wasn't. I'm just rather surprised that **you** have a preference for older women."  
  
"They're much better lays than high-school girls. Experience, ya know. Plus, high-school girls are all giggly an' shit. But the thing with me and Mai was strictly business. She taught me how to do it and be serious 'bout it and I learned real damn well."  
  
"Ah...so why is she so interested in meeting me?"  
  
"Well, ah, I've been tellin' her 'bout ya since ya were runnin' 'round in that blond wig. I also told her that ya were my boyfriend, and she was excited. Ya see, she's been waitin' fer the day that I got serious with someone, and so now she wants to meet ya." Jounouchi put on an innocent grin.  
  
Seto closed the drawer, ignoring the book for the time being. "Typical Jounouchi. You can never keep your mouth shut."  
  
Jounouchi laid down on the bed. "Well, your tongue down my throat would make for a nice cure..."  
  
Seto smirked as he climbed onto the bed, atop Jounouchi. "I can certainly administer that, naughty puppy."  
  
"Oh yeah; I've definitely been naughty. Ya might need to kiss me more than once just to make sure I stay quiet."  
  
Seto purred as he leaned in, the tip of his nose brushing softly against Jounouchi's--  
  
--there was suddenly a loud, thumping sound.  
  
"Oh, what the fuck?" Seto demanded as he snapped into an upright position.  
  
Jounouchi sat up. "Man, can't people leave two horny teenagers be? She-it."  
  
"Go see who it is, and tell them to go the hell away, and then remind me to fire the security team on the basis that they were doing a shitty job."  
  
"Wait; what? Why me?"  
  
Seto pointed to his exposed legs. "I'm not wearing any pants."  
  
Jounouchi groaned as he slowly rose from the bed. "Oh; right. Yer lucky I like them sexy legs of yers, too."  
  
"Just remember; the foyer is straight ahead and—Aaa_AAh_!" Seto yelped as he felt Jounouchi running a hand up his thigh. Seto glared at the dirty blond and punched him on his shoulder.  
  
"Couldn't help myself!" Jounouchi teased.  
  
"Just get down there, naughty little puppy," Seto muttered, his face a crimson hue from a flattered blush.  
  
Jounouchi dashed down the stairs as quickly as he could, making sure not to mess the violet carpet that decorated the center from his rough dashing. Thoughts of Seto's long, smooth legs gave a rise to his arousal; all he had to do was tell off the unexpected guest and hurry back to the bedroom.  
  
He unlocked the door and quickly forced it open.  
  
"All right buddy; don't know what yer tryin' to sell, but we don't want...none."  
  
The man that stood in the doorway was huge; he was about seven inches taller than Seto and was muscular like a body-builder. He wore a dark sleeveless leather muscle-tee with a matching pair of leather biker jeans, kneepads, and large armour-plated boots. His golden hair, which complimented his tanned skin well, was swept back in a spiked hairstyle save for his sideburns; each sharply turned at the base of his earlobes, accenting his cheekbones.  
  
"Uh..." Jounouchi's jaw gaped open.  
  
"Forgive our intrusion; this will only be a minute," the man spoke in fluent Japanese.  
  
"What...whaddya want?" Jounouchi demanded as he cocked his head to the side. That's it Katsuya; hide the fear of a two-hundred-somethin' pound wrestler- lookin' guy choke-slammin' you...hide the fear...  
  
"We're here in search of a missing person."  
  
Jounouchi furrowed his brow. "A missin' person?"  
  
%_ "Anyway, this guy, he looks right at Hirutani, and holds up a photograph and asks 'Have you seen this kid'?"_ %  
  
A look of horror came upon his face.  
  
_Hirutani's killer! It _must_ be him!_ He raised his fists. The man appeared confused by Jounouchi's actions.  
  
Suddenly, Seto had joined Jounouchi. "Jounouchi, why is it taking you so long to get rid of a big hulking brute of a man, standing right in my doorway." Seto trailed as he too stared at the unusual guest. Although he had put on a pair of black and blue trackpants, the green top remained, though it was buttoned up.  
  
The large man looked over at Seto. "You must be Seto Kaiba, correct?"  
  
Seto threw his arms into the air. "All right. Who the hell is telling these people about me?"  
  
"We're wondering if perhaps you could direct us to the location of a missing person."  
  
"Do I look like the 'Missing Persons Department' over at the Domino P.D.?"  
  
"You don't understand," the man boomed. "He is an important asset to our team."  
  
"Team? Asset? Listen, whoever you are, it's very late, and I tend to be a little on the irritable side (shut up, Jounouchi). If you don't start making any sense, then I'm going to slam this door in your face." Seto folded his arms. And hope that you don't tear it off with some freakish brute strength.  
  
The man stood there, unsure of what the make of the proposition.  
  
"Let me handle this one, Rafael. Relations is more my thing!" A voice exclaimed in French.  
  
The brute, Rafael, gave a slight nod towards the unseen individual. Out of the shadows stepped another man. He was about the same height as Jounouchi, and just as muscularly toned. He wore a skin-tight sleeveless top, accented with oversized shoulder-pads. Like his companion, he wore leather jeans with kneepads and armoured combat boots. His bronze hair was spiked upwards, though his bangs remained down and were held in place by a pair of aviator goggles that rested on his brow.  
  
"Hi," the young man greeted in Japanese as he extended his hand. "The name's Varon. That hulkin' brute there is Rafael. We make up two-thirds of a mercenary group known as the Death Three, and we're wondering if you've seen our third half."  
  
Seto shook his head. "If you would make some sense of things, then I could answer your question. As it is, I don't even understand why you've sought me specifically."  
  
"Let me get to that." Varon cleared his throat. "You see, about three and a half months ago, our third left for inexplicable reasons. Now, this was bad not only because he's the assassin in our group, but also because he's the best when it comes to tracking people down, and that is not at all a good thing. It took us a month, but we were finally able to pinpoint his last known location to be here, in Domino City."  
  
"So where do I come in?"  
  
Varon held up a finger. "Just a second! You kids really have no patience. Anyway, we tried to hit up as many resources as possible—especially myself since infiltration is one of my talents—but we exhausted them pretty quickly. Our little third was certainly an elusive one. Two weeks ago, we were about to give up when a man showed up on our doorstep claiming to know where our third was.  
  
"His face was obscured by this hood that he wore; plus his head was always low so that helped. The first thing he did was show me a photograph asking if we knew where the person in the picture was."  
  
Jounouchi's eyes widened at the last testimony.  
  
"Of course, we didn't know, but we recognized the photo. You see, it was like the one our third had right before he disappeared on us. The mystery guy explained that our third had accepted a secret mission from him, but had not heard from him in a while, and decided to seek us out. There was something about that guy that really gave me the chills...and I don't get the chills often."  
  
"Your third," Seto interjected, "His name didn't happen to be 'Amelda', did it?"  
  
Surprised, Varon arched a brow. "Really, now? There's not many that know about him and are actually left alive."  
  
Seto slowly raised his hands in a defensive stance; Jounouchi followed in suit.  
  
Varon held his hands out in front of him. "Whoa; hold on! We're not here to fight! We're just here to know if you've seen him! Man; kids these days...can't think of anything other than fighting..."  
  
Seto's arms fell to his side in an instant. "You could have said so rather than beat around the bush, jackass."  
  
Varon shrugged. "I figured maybe you guys wanted the full story. So, have you or haven't you guys seen him, considering that you two are the last ones to have seen him and all..."  
  
Seto shook his head. "I threatened to cause him harm if I ever saw him again."  
  
Varon whistled. "Damn. Amelda's not one to be scared too easily, though. Probably licking his wounds...how long's it been?"  
  
"A month and a half."  
  
"What?" He turned to Rafael. "Shit; Rafael! We **just** missed him! Hopefully, he's still in the country." He faced the teens again. "You see, there's another reason why we're concerned about Amelda. He's considered a political criminal for pretty obvious reasons, and one of his main pursuers, a Hong Kong police officer by the name of Lei Wulong, is in Tokyo for that big fighting thing that's got everyone buzzed. Although word on the street has it that Wulong's after someone else that's in the same tournament, we just can't take any chances. Amelda's an important asset to our cause, plus he's our friend. You know how it is."  
  
Seto raised a brow. "Actually, I—"  
  
"—can relate perfectly!" Jounouchi quickly interjected, gently cupping his hand over Seto's mouth. "I got one quick question though, b'fore ya guys get goin'."  
  
"Shoot."  
  
"That man in the hoodie...did he, uh, carry some kinda sword?"  
  
Varon shrugged his shoulders. "He carried something with him, but it was wrapped up, whatever it was. Pretty long object; it could have been a sword."  
  
Seto shoved Jounouchi to the side. "There's one more thing. That man that had approached you; how did he manage to direct you to me?"  
  
"The photograph. It was a picture of you." Varon smiled. "It was nice talking with you gentlemen tonight. Sleep tightly now." He motioned to Rafael to get moving. He stopped midway and glanced over his shoulder. "By the way, your little rent-a-cops will be okay; we just needed to be able to talk in peace and all. Good night."  
  
Seto promptly slammed the door shut.  
  
"Huh...didn't know Amelda was part o' some mercenary group...crappy name," Jounouchi yawned.  
  
"That man...he had my photograph."  
  
Jounouchi nodded. "Yeah...that's pretty eerie."  
  
"You don't understand!" Seto exclaimed as he whirled around to face Jounouchi. "Nobody knows the face of Seto Kaiba."  
  
"Uh...yer gonna have to forgive me; it's late so I'm a little slow...whaddya mean that nobody knows yer face?"  
  
Seto sighed as he pinched the bridge of his nose. "What I mean is that nobody knows what I look like as the CEO of Kaiba Corp. I often obscure my face with sunglasses and wear a wig so nobody knows what I really look like. It allows me more freedom to act as I please without recognition."  
  
"So that's why ya do normal things like take the bus, go to 7-11 for smokes, huh?"  
  
"Right. To the world, I'm just Seto Hirano, an apathetic game-playing smart- ass with little care for anything that's not his book, his video games, or his music. For someone to have knowledge of my true name and the true face that goes with it is very dangerous."  
  
"I'm startin' to get it."  
  
"Jounouchi, you acted as though you knew about this mysterious man."  
  
"Uh, yeah...he killed Hirutani."  
  
"Then this means that he's quickly becoming a threat..." Seto clutched his abdomen. "This must have been the warning Amelda meant months ago after our last encounter."  
  
"So ya think Amelda's gonna try again?"  
  
Seto shook his head. "Not while his pursuer is here in Tokyo. I really ought to take this matter more seriously and start investigating, but tomorrow we have to be at the hole, and then you want me to meet Mai—"  
  
"I could get 'er to cancel that, if ya need to—"  
  
"No need to. I'd rather get that done than put it off. Besides, I'm **very** good at running on little sleep."  
  
"A'right." Jounouchi raised his arms to stretch. "I guess it's back to business as usual fer us..."  
  
"What do you..." Seto paused to yawn. "What do you mean by that?"  
  
Jounouchi smiled. "Trouble, baby. Trouble is our business."

* * *

**AUTHOR'S COMMENTS**  
  
The newest arc has the series taking place a month and a half after the events of Spent-shells and Heartstrings. That can be quite a gap, but in order for the main story's flow to continue, it's a necessary move.  
  
For those of you that are DOOM/DOMA fans, you'll see that Rafael and Varon have made a cameo appearance. I felt that it would be wrong of me to include Amelda with little to no mention of Rafael and Varon. However, don't count on Dartz making any appearances! Speaking of Amelda, there are still some loose ends to tie up with him from Part II—so you can expect to see him make his return.  
  
I know some of you will find the innumerous Tekken references to be seemingly daunting if not self-absorbed on my part; please don't let this stop you from reading. The Tekken references are a necessity to the series, and as you continue reading, you will begin to see why (though I promise that the next chapter is very light on the Tekken references). I must also remind you that I try to write the characters as if they were everyday people, so to have them watching the tournament on television is among one of the more "human" things they do.  
  
Anyway, thanks a lot for your reading and for your reviews—over 120 already! I'll be taking some time over the weekend to do some reading, so be on the lookout for my name on your reviews list! 


	18. Fateful Meetings

**Chapter 18: Fateful Meetings**  
  
"I can't believe I'm doing this," Seto muttered as he glared at Jounouchi.  
  
"Just relax...before ya know it, it'll all be over with," Jounouchi assured as he gently squeezed Seto's hand. The brunet's lips formed a tight line--no matter how much Jounouchi reassurred him, he didn't look any more forward to the impeding meeting.   
  
For the occasion, Seto wore a white dress shirt that was buttoned down enough to expose his chest, a pair of vinyl pants that gleamed in the neon lights, a pair of boots with exterior steel plates on the toe and heel, and a Korean glass bead necklace. It was a simpler style compared to his previous fashions, but it had as much style as his previous fashions.  
  
Jounouch's dress was more of the standard fare that he usually wore, albeit neater in appearance. He wore an unwrinkled, forest green T-shirt that was tucked into a new, unfaded and very clean pair of black jeans; he also wore cherished "Air Muscle" athletic sneakers which appeared as though they had hardly been worn, and a pair of dog tags around his neck--one of which bore his name while the other remained blank.  
  
Seto sighed heavily. "You know I hate being placed in a social situation."  
  
Jounouchi grinned sheepishly. "I know. I'll be here, though. Yer gonna be all right. 'Sides, there's a bar."  
  
Seto nodded lazily as he craned his neck to look around the district, the various colours and flashes of the neon lights and adverts capturing his attention. Although he had lived in Domino nearly all of his life, he was still new to the experiences of the Domino nightlife. Jounouchi, on the other hand, was as much a part of it as the neon signs that were illuminated around the pair.  
  
Jounouchi had taken notice of Seto's wonderment, and smirked. "I'm guessin' that ya ain't out much at this time."  
  
"I have an obligation to Mokuba remember?" Seto reminded as he continued to stare at the signs. "But otherwise; no. I don't usually have any reason to be in places like this."  
  
"Man...maybe I oughta take ya out on dates, or somethin'."  
  
Seto suddenly turned a wide-eyed gaze to Jounouchi.  
  
Jounouchi couldn't help but chuckle. "What, did I say somethin' to make ya look like that?"  
  
Seto blinked as he placed a hand to his face in an effort to hide the blush. "No; it's just that...the very idea of me, the master of the ancient art of anti-social, actually getting involved in a relationship just like any normal, well-adjusted—"  
  
Jounouchi raised his index finger to Seto's lips. "There's a first time for everythin', right? I mean, if everyone was born knowin' how to do everythin', that takes the fun outta life."  
  
"Somehow, your little reassurances always seem to make me feel a little better." Seto smiled warmly as he leaned in close to Jounouchi.  
  
Jounouchi grinned as he planted a kiss on Seto's forehead. "By the way, am I ever gonna get my jacket back?"  
  
Seto slowly raised his head, glaring at Jounouchi.  
  
Jounouchi shrugged, appearing innocent. "What? That thing's my treasure."  
  
"It's in your closet in the guest room. You can take it back whenever you want to; I don't need it anymore."  
  
Jounouchi blinked. "Oh. Okay..." He looked up. "Oh hey; we're here. Just relax, and don't worry...it'll go over well."  
  
Seto leaned close to whisper. "They're not going to bother us about the fact that we're underage?"  
  
"Age? Pfft. I'm the exception to the rule and since yer with me, there won't be no problems 'cause they know me. 'Sides, ya act so mature, they'd never know the difference." Jounouchi winked to Seto as the two approached the door.

* * *

"Katsuya! You've made it," Mai greeted as she walked over to hug the dirty blond. She wore a shimmering indigo strapless cocktail dress with matching stiletto heel boots. Her golden hair was held up, the curls bouncing with each step she took.  
  
Jounouchi reached out towards Mai and pulled her close, kissing her firmly on her glossed lips. Seto realized that his cheeks were suddenly feeling hot from jealousy; he turned away in hopes that the two lip-locked blonds wouldn't notice.  
  
"So nice to see ya, Mai," Jounouchi murmured as they withdrew from their greeting kiss.  
  
Mai smirked. "So, where is this gorgeous boyfriend of yours that you told me about? He must be something if he's managed to capture **your **eye."  
  
"He's the one in the shiny black pants," Jounouchi pointed as he rested his hand on the small of Mai's back, guiding her to Seto, who was glaring at Jounouchi, mouthing "_Gorgeous_?!" to him.  
  
Mai's mouth gaped open as she gazed upon the brunet. "My God Jounouchi; how you managed to land this one is simply astounding." She stopped in front of him, slipping her delicate, lace-dressed hand underneath his chin. "Let's have a good look at you; I want to see if you're as much of a looker as Katsuya here described."  
  
Seto couldn't help but look over at Jounouchi rather confusedly as Mai checked over his face. He glanced at Mai for a moment, noticing that her expressions clearly displayed approval.  
  
"I've seen many a beautiful boy in my lifetime, but this one is truly a rarity," Mai concluded as she approached Jounouchi. "Very soft skin and silky hair. Smells very nice, too; cologne with a hint of cloves and tobacco. With the exception of his smoking habit, he takes very good care of himself. You'd better keep him for yourself and not let anyone get more than a fleeting glance at him, because the second you let him go, someone else will surely snatch that androgynous creature up." She smirked as she glanced back at the perplexed Seto before facing Jounouchi once again. "I also couldn't help but notice that he he's endowed...trust me, I know these things."  
  
Jounouchi blushed as he scratched the back of his head. "Hey, hey; we ain't at that point just yet."  
  
"Well, remember it for future reference...by the way, if you two ever get to **that** point..." Mai suddenly lowered her voice to a whisper. "...who would be top?"  
  
Jounouchi bit his lip as his eyes fixated themselves onto the floor. "Uh...we haven't really even discussed the subject o' sex yet."  
  
"Oh my. That's certainly something...you usually manage to bed them within a month, tops. Could this one actually be _the_ one?"  
  
Jounouchi shrugged. "Who knows...could be. I really like 'im. He really seems to like me. We just make out; I tend to fondle 'im in some areas, but we ain't really gotten past second base, truth be told."  
  
"Well, don't hurry it. Perhaps he's the type that expects you to make the first move, like a man would. That could also answer the question as to what position he'd take during sex..."  
  
_Seto, bottoming out to me?_ Jounouchi raised a curious brow. "Well, we won't know 'till we get to that-**if** we get to that."  
  
Mai nodded. "Well, when you feel that that time is fast approaching, you come see me." She looked over Jounouchi's shoulder, noticing a stationary Seto. "You don't have to stand there, you know. Jounouchi and I are simply talking about you, in a nice way of course. We'll be done in a little bit, but in the meantime, why don't you make yourself comfortable? That's what people do here, after all."  
  
Seto slowly nodded as he looked around for the bar, his brows momentarily rising as soon as he had discovered it. He immediately set out towards it when he glanced to his left and was stopped by what was there.  
  
A woman was sitting in a corner chair by her lonesome, nursing a fist-sized glass of scotch. Despite the dim lighting, her golden hair was easily noticeable. It was tied back, though her bangs hung over each side of her face, the very tips gently touching her chin. Her blue eyes were as intense and cold as Seto's own, though they also implied a sense of deadliness behind them. She was wearing a white cotton top with a plunging neckline, jet black slacks and a pair of black buckled high-heeled shoes.  
  
Seto recognized the woman.  
  
_She's another contender at the Iron Fist Tournament...Nina Williams_. He narrowed his eyes as he scrutinized the woman, his brows furrowing. _She's considered to be a very dangerous woman, but there's something about her that seems terribly familiar to me. I'm not sure what—  
_  
"Boy with the blue eyes."  
  
Seto's eyes widened as he snapped from his thoughts. He whirled around, only to be standing face-to-face with another woman. She had auburn shoulder-length hair, piercing blue eyes, and wore a strapless scarlet dress. The dress had a slit that ran up her left leg, while the right side bore an artistic design of a peacock. She appeared rather cross.  
  
"Be careful as to how you stare at my sister. If she were to notice you, she could cause you great injury," the auburn-haired woman stated curtly, her Irish accent noticeably thick.  
  
"Hn. I wasn't staring at her because I was attracted to her, I was staring because I thought that I knew her from somewhere else." Seto frowned at the auburn-haired woman.  
  
She raised a brow. "You know my sister? Impossible; you're too young to have ever met her."  
  
"I merely implied that I had seen her from those populartelevised matches that she is participating in.," Seto hurriedly replied as he walked as quickly as he could towards the bar. _Hn. She seems awfully over-protective of her sister. She's likely preventing people from getting close to her sister ...  
_  
He seated himself on one of the stools that stood by the counter, and pulled out a package of his precious clove cigarettes. He looked over his shoulder and had noticed Mai and Jounouchi approaching him.  
  
"Hey; Mai wants to talk to ya fer a little bit. I'm gonna go out back and fire me up a blunt," Jounouchi hastily said as he patted Seto on his shoulder before proceeding.  
  
"Jounouchi--!" Seto was unable to find the proper response. Mai instantly wrapped her arm behind Seto's neck.  
  
"So, let's talk for a little bit," Mai proffered. She glanced over at the bar. "Oh; you were getting a drink. What do you like?"  
  
Seto sighed as he rolled his eyes and pocketed his cigarettes. "Scotch."  
  
"Do you take it as is, or...?"  
  
"It doesn't matter."  
  
Mai seated herself upon one of the stools. She patted a stool adjacent to her right, motioning for Seto to sit down. Seto walked over and took the seat.  
  
Mai turned over to the bartender. "Shuya, serve up two glasses of scotch; as is." She smirked as she turned back to Seto. "So, let's hear your end of things."  
  
Seto sneered. "Girl talk isn't exactly my cup of tea."  
  
"We're not having tea, sweetie. Jounouchi's told me so much about you. I want to hear what you have to say about him, and perhaps get a little more about yourself out of that."  
  
Seto glanced over at the newly arrived glass of scotch. "Look, Mai; I'm not much for conversation. I'm not sure what exactly you're expecting, but I am not one to elaborate on too many details at a time, if any at all."  
  
Mai nodded as her scotch was placed in front of her. "Jounouchi told me to expect that. From what he told me, you're a very introverted person."  
  
Seto glared at the blonde as he sipped his scotch. "If you're going to use that psychological labeling garbage, I'll be taking my leave."  
  
Mai shook her head. "I don't mean to. I don't want to know because I'm just some nosy old lady who just has to hear the latest gossips. I'm a very close and personal friend of Jounouchi's, and I want things to work out for him."  
  
"Yes; he told me just how close you two were," Seto drawled as he took another sip of his scotch.  
  
"So early into the relationship? I knew Jounouchi had balls, but...if he had told it to anyone else, he'd certainly be single again with a few hand marks on his face to boot." Mai paused as she tasted her scotch. "I must ask, why did you take it so well?"  
  
"Simply put: the past bears little meaning to me as far as actions are concerned. You take and manipulate what experiences you can from it and then put the rest of it behind you."  
  
"I see. I don't want to digress, so I'll jump back to the previous subject...the main reason I wanted to meet you was just to see what kind of relationship Jounouchi is getting himself into. I consider him to be a very special person to me, as he's the one and only person whom I've ever..." she paused. "...'shown the ropes'. I want to be sure that the person he's with is someone he deserves."  
  
Seto arched a brow. "So that's your game? Play the role of the overprotective parent as you interview your child's potential lover. You simply could have said so." He took another sip of the scotch.  
  
"Your analogy holds more truth than you realize," Mai replied as she swirled her glass.  
  
Seto looked away from the scotch and at Mai.  
  
"He's told you that he's from a broken home, right?"  
  
Seto nodded. "His father's some deadbeat drunkard with gambling problems. I suppose it makes sense that he seeks out someone to act as a responsible adult for him."  
  
Mai nodded. "So, I want the truth. Tell me how you feel about him."  
  
"Feelings?" Seto snorted. "I'm not the pathetic, whiny emo type who spends his nights angsting to his little online journal buddies."  
  
"No, it's nothing like that at all. All I'm asking is that you explain how you find Jounouchi to be."  
  
He stared into Mai's violet eyes as he moistened his lips in preparation for speaking. "If you must know, I find Jounouchi to be absolutely careless in his actions and extremely impulsive in his thoughts that he often speaks up when it's unnecessary." Seto paused to take another sip of his scotch. "That having been said..." He sighed. "I can't say it."  
  
"Oh? Is it that difficult to admit positive feelings?"  
  
"Yes; especially to someone I've only known for five minutes."  
  
"But this is strictly confidential."  
  
"That's easy for you to say. I have much difficulty in trusting people."  
  
"I give you my word; the only people that will know what you said are you and me. Jounouchi will only find out through your own actions."  
  
Seto glared at the woman intensely. "This is going to be difficult to say then, so bear with me." He took in a deep breath. "Right. Jounouchi...no; this is Katsuya. Katsuya is the most headstrong person I have ever met. He's headstrong, he's amazing in the way that he gets along with my younger brother, and he makes me feel significant."  
  
Mai smiled. "You certainly seem to admire his strong, masculine features, which is a good thing." She paused to imbibe a sip of her scotch. "You certainly seem to enjoy the positive attention he pays to you."  
  
"And there won't be another word in regards to that."  
  
"Mmm." Mai twirled one of her golden locks around her index finger. "So, I want you to tell me how you met Jounouchi. I want the truth. I know how he met you, but surely, you knew of him first seeing as how you started the 'game'."  
  
Seto stared intensely at Mai. "Elaborating about my own past is something I would **never** do. You ask too much of me."  
  
"Yes, but you said that you would take what you've learned from it, and discard the rest. Surely, you had learned that you were indeed having the 'hots' for another boy."  
  
Seto smirked. "Clever girl...using my own beliefs to betray me. You insisted on keeping this confidential; I am holding you to the promise."  
  
"The only way he'll ever find out is if you tell him." Her lips formed a sultry smile. "Will that suffice?"  
  
Seto narrowed his eyes in distrust as he downed the remaining scotch; the burn almost made him wince. "Very well." He slammed the glass onto the counter.

* * *

_No sign of Kaiba yet._  
  
Jounouchi exhaled a puff of smoke from his marijuana blunt as he nodded to himself.  
  
_A good sign then. I hope those two can get along...  
_  
He took another drag of the blunt.  
  
_I hope they don't become friends the way Kaiba and I became close. Getting' kicked by heels ain't fun.  
_  
He exhaled once again.  
  
_Whose heels, Katsuya? Mai's, or Kaiba's?  
_  
He chuckled to himself over the thought as he flicked the butt of the blunt from his fingertips and stomped down upon it.  
  
_I just hope Seto's alright with disclosin' a little more information than he likes to. Will pro'bly hate me fer it, but it wouldn't be me if I didn't take a risk._  
  
Jounouchi sighed as he shut his eyes, murmuring to himself.  
  
He suddenly heard a scraping sound; he opened his eyes and whipped his head to his left.  
  
A man stood eight paces away from Jounouchi.  
  
_Probably a bum wantin' a smoke,_ Jounouchi dismissed with a disgusted sneer.  
  
"Excuse me...I'm sorry to have bothered you. I was wondering if you could help me out."  
  
_Yup. Bum._  
  
"If it's a smoke ya need, get on over 'ere, an' I'll see what I can do."  
  
"Thank you, but it's not a smoke I need."  
  
"So, what is it that ya need, then? Got no money."  
  
"It's not money I need. I need to show you."  
  
Jounouchi snorted as he heard footsteps splashing on the puddles, slowly yet progressively approaching.  
  
The man stepped into the overhead lamppost. He wore an open blue-gray hoodie, with frayed holes where the sleeves used to be. The hoodie just stopped short of his waist; he wore nothing beneath the top so as to display his well-toned torso and arms. He wore a pair of loose, wide black jeans that bunched at the ends over a large pair of simple black steel-toed boots. He wore three belts, two of which where worn in an unusual fashion; the one was worn across his waist as normal but the other two were worn at his side, forming a loop for each side. His hood was draped over his eyes, its shadow cast as far down to his nose.  
  
"You..." Jounouchi's eyes widened.  
  
"I'm sorry? I don't believe we've met." The man reached into his pocket. "I'll only be a second. I just need to know..." He held out a small, flat square-shaped object. "...if you've seen this boy."  
  
Jounouchi raised his fists. "I know who ya are...yer the guy that killed Hirtuani, aren't ya?"  
  
The hooded man cocked his head to the side. "Hirutani?"  
  
"Don't ya fuckin' play dumb—"  
  
"No; I know who you're talking about. That pitiful gang leader, right? Well, more like ex-gang leader, I suppose. Anyway, I had heard his flunkies were still running around, trying to find a new leader. You were a member of that gang; how did that go? I assume that they were pursuing you as their candidate for leader."  
  
"What?!" Jounouchi scowled. "How did ya know that I used t'be—?"  
  
The hooded man chuckled. "I also know that you're often seen with Seto Kaiba, the very boy I am looking for. It took some doing, but I managed to track you down."  
  
"Well, there's no way in hell that yer goin' near 'im, unless yer lookin' to get yer jaw broke," Jounouchi warned.  
  
"But it's not a direct approach I'm going for," the hooded man insisted as he shrugged his shoulders.  
  
"So what th' hell are ya waitin' fer—_**URK**_!?"  
  
Jounouchi suddenly felt a powerful force impacting onto his abdomen, forcing him to hunch over. He looked and saw that the hooded man's fist was resting on his midriff.  
  
The hooded man smiled sadistically. "I was waiting for you to blink."  
  
"B...bastard..." Jounouchi coughed as he fell over onto the ground.  
  
The smile remained on the man's face as he picked up Jounouchi, placing the teen over his shoulder.  
  
"**_That_** ought to get Seto's attention." He smiled, and looked up to his right. "By the way, I don't know what you're still waiting for up there! You had your chance to kill me and now it's too late!" He laughed as he retreated. The unseen would-be assailant uttered a curse.

* * *

Mai summed up Seto's recollection in one word:  
  
"...Amazing."  
  
Seto lowered his eyes. "You understand now that you cannot tell Jounouchi about this, at all. This is not something that I'm personally comfortable with; it's not something I consider 'normal' of myself."  
  
"There's no such thing when you fall in love," Mai stated as she swallowed the last of her scotch.  
  
"Love? I never said that."  
  
Mai smiled coyly. "Oh? Then you'll have to forgive that little slip."  
  
"Hn."  
  
"I wasn't putting words in your mouth; believe me." She glanced at the neon clock that hung over the bar. "Jounouchi should have been back about now. I doubt that the joint was potent enough to make him the least bit stoned, and he never smokes more than one. Could you perhaps...?"  
  
"I would have regardless." Seto reached into his pocket and tossed a generous tip for the bartender.  
  
"Given that you two are a couple of hormone-driven teenage boys, I won't be offended if I don't see either of you again for the rest of the night. Just do me a favour and remind Jounouchi to call me sometime, okay?" She winked at Seto. "Have a good night."  
  
Seto glanced back at Mai before continuing his way to the back door.  
  
_An interesting woman, to say the least...where Jounouchi gets his friends from is beyond me.  
_  
He stepped outside and into the back alley, his nose wrinkling as he inhaled the musty scent.  
  
He looked around, frowning when he saw no visible sign of Jounouchi.  
  
Finally, he crossed his arms, his right fingers drumming on his left bicep. "Jounouchi, if you're planning on an attempt to jump out from somewhere and scaring me, it's not going to work! I'm onto you!"  
  
He arched a brow as he heard the sounds of someone shuffling out of a hiding place. The sound came from behind him; he turned around.  
  
"Thank—**_you_**?!" Seto clenched his teeth as he positioned his legs in his Tae Kwon Do stance.  
  
"Me—I mean; **you**?!" The person blinked as he raised his night-vision goggles, revealing his ashen eyes.  
  
Seto immediately reached for the intruder's arm, hooking his right arm above the man's elbow and taking hold of his wrist, trapping the man in an arm-lock.  
  
"I warned you that I never wanted to see you again. I hope you have a good explanation, because my patience is low and a good arm-breaking would make me feel so much better."  
  
"Nice to see you too, Kaiba-boy!" Amelda exclaimed, his face contorting with pain as Seto progressively tightened his hold.  
  
"Don't you ever call me 'Kaiba-boy' again, got it? Would you like to explain what the hell brings you back here? And are you aware that two of your mercenary buddies have been looking for you?"  
  
"Varon and Rafael?" Amelda blinked. "Shit; I better hurry this up, then."  
  
"Ahem...patience isn't getting any thicker. What the hell are you babbling about?"  
  
Amelda looked up at Seto. "I know who kidnapped Jounouchi. I tried to nail the guy who took him but he saw me first."  
  
Seto gradually loosened his hold on Amelda. "Someone has kidnapped him?!"  
  
Amelda took the opportunity to wriggle out of the arm-lock. "Yeah; that someone happens to be the man that hired me to kill you."  
  
"The elusive hooded man," Seto growled through his teeth. He approached Amelda once again. "Take me to him."  
  
"You sure you want to do that? He'll kill you the second he sees you."  
  
Seto grasped Amelda's coat. "And I'll send **you** packing to the emergency room if you don't take me to him."  
  
Amelda remained calm. "So, you're willing to die if it means that the blond is safe." He laughed. "You are an odd boy. Are you sure you are capable of taking him on? Why, if I recall correctly, you couldn't even defeat me on your own."  
  
"Only because you fucking cheated in that fight."  
  
"And what's to say that the hooded man won't? He** is** carrying a katana, and just kidnapped Jounouchi in an attempt to get to you. He's no better than me in that respect."  
  
"I've done enough training over the past month and a half to ensure that such a predicament won't happen again—I'll defeat him before he even pulls any bullshit. Now, can you shut the hell up and take me Jounouchi?"  
  
"I was; but you kept on talking to me!"  
  
"Just **_go_**!" Seto pointed.  
  
"Fine, **fine**!" Amelda exclaimed as he walked ahead. "Jesus Christ, it amazes me that nobody else has tried to kill you yet..."

* * *

**AUTHOR'S COMMENTS**  
  
You read right—Jounouchi got kidnapped! If you've heard my rants, you're probably wondering how I could fall into such a cliché—believe me, I hated that I had to write this, as Jounouchi is definitely too tough—but don't worry, because Jounouchi won't be treated like a damsel in distress.  
  
Also, what could the brief cameo appearance of Nina Williams (yes; I like her) have to do with Seto? Another question that will have to be answered another time, dear readers...  
  
And Amelda is indeed back, and his reasons are going to be revealed in full next episode. You cannot afford to miss the next chapter, because the identity of the hooded man will be revealed—who could he be? There's only one way to find out, and that's by tuning in for the next installment.  
  
Thanks again for taking the time to read, and for leaving your reviews! I'll be checking more fics out, so stay tuned... 


	19. Victorious Stalemate

**Chapter 19: Victorious Stalemate**  
  
"_Shit_!" Seto cursed as he slammed his foot into an unsuspecting trash can, sending the cylinder object clear across the alley.  
  
"Keep making noise Seto; let 'im know where we are so he can get us first," Amelda muttered as he continued to scan the area with his night vision goggles.  
  
"You're lucky that I didn't hear whatever it was that you said," Seto snarled. "Speaking of what you said, **you** said that they were here."  
  
"Yes. As in 'past tense'. As in 'they **were** here'. They're not here **now**."  
  
Seto narrowed his eyes. "So what in the hell are we doing **here**?"  
  
Amelda turned around, raising the goggles from his eyes. "Look; I'm tracking them down, alright? It's one of my specialties, and what you wanted me to do. So why don't you stop being a fucking noisy child and shut up long enough for me to do my job."  
  
Seto crossed his arms and heaved a frustrated sigh. "Jounouchi could be dead by now."  
  
"I doubt that. The hooded man's not going to kill him. He just wants your attention so you can come to him."  
  
Seto said nothing.  
  
Amelda shrugged his shoulders as he replaced the goggles over his eyes and picked up where he left off. "Man, you really don't like me, do you?"  
  
"I absolutely despise you."  
  
"You know, I had no intentions of killing Mokuba."  
  
"And yet you kidnapped him, and made a game out of it. In fact, since our encounter you treated it like it was all one happy fun little game, with your selfish freedom as the prize."  
  
Amelda continued at his task. "Do you know **why** I'm on the run, Seto?"  
  
"That's 'Kaiba', and yes. You apparently assassinated a few political officials from your homeland."  
  
Amelda nodded. "Right. But you see, there was a reason for it. They were the ones responsible for the war that destroyed my homeland. They sent in the tanks, the militants, the weapons, and took away all the things I cared about. The courts may have exonerated them since they had all that influence, but that was fine; I made sure that they paid for their crimes."  
  
"So, you basically did it because you hate war. I don't like it anymore than you do, but to kill the masterminds behind it creates more problems than it solves."  
  
"No shit! I got the law on my ass now! From other countries, no less—I'm sure Varon and Rafael told you about one of them being here thanks to that tournament going on."  
  
"You're so fucking selfish." Seto frowned, turning away. He looked up at the starry sky, his breath visible due to the cold winter air.  
  
_Katsuya...I know you're going to be okay. Just give me some time._  
  
"You know, maybe you're right," Amelda stated, running a hand through his crimson hair after having removed his goggles. "Maybe I am fucking selfish. Maybe I didn't think things through. But the way I see it, if my reason is for the best and I don't have any regrets for acting out the way I did, then I can sleep at night."  
  
"That's not making you any less unlikable."  
  
"Kaiba, what I'm saying..." Amelda stopped. He inhaled deeply, his teeth gently biting down on his lower lip, as he fought with himself over what to say. "Forget it. You hate me as is, so I'm not going to continue this discussion of personal morals and reasons and shit."  
  
"You do as you like."  
  
Amelda glared at Seto. "Christ, boy; what makes you such a scathing bitch anyway?"  
  
For the first time, Seto smiled at Amelda. "Me."  
  
Amelda raised a puzzled brow. "Is that so?"  
  
"You're not even the first to refer to me as one, just so you know."  
  
"Doubt I'll be the last, either," the assassin muttered as he cracked his knuckles.  
  
"You're not wearing your goggles. Where are they?"  
  
Amelda glanced over his shoulder. "Huh? Oh, right. West. They're apparently west."  
  
"'Apparently'? That doesn't sound like a definite answer."  
  
Amelda blinked at the brunet. "Look; I spotted two figures on a rooftop. It's either them, or some adventurous couple having a nice rooftop fuck, but I doubt anyone is **that** stupid to fuck on a rooftop in the winter!"  
  
"You really haven't been in this city long enough."  
  
"Man, you really are a misanthropist."  
  
"I prefer to term 'realist', thank you very much."  
  
Amelda stifled a laugh. "Yeah, 'realistic pain in the ass'—**_hey_**!"  
  
Seto kicked a discarded beer can at Amelda. "You said west, right? Let's get going." He dashed ahead.  
  
The assassin shook his head. "Jesus, I am **really** amazed that nobody's tried to kill him sooner..."

* * *

A pair of amber eyes slowly fluttered open.  
  
Tall buildings beneath the dark night winter sky. That was the first thing that Jounouchi saw as he regained his consciousness. He winced as he suddenly felt a sharp pain on the back of his neck.  
  
He tried to reach for the ground so he could sit up, but no matter how hard his arms struggled, he was unable to do so.  
  
_The hell...?_  
  
Jounouchi wriggled some more, but consciousness soon completely set in, allowing him to feel the rough texture of a rope that was binding his wrists.  
  
"The hell?!" Jounouchi repeated out loud as he tried to glance over his shoulder.  
  
"I had a feeling that you would try to attack me as soon as you had the chance once you woke up, so I had to take some precautions," a voice stated.  
  
Jounouchi whirled his head to his right. "Where are ya?"  
  
"I'm to your left."  
  
Jounouchi whipped his head to his left. Sitting atop an air conditioning unit was the man that kidnapped him roughly an hour ago.  
  
"Given your stamina and all, I figured you'd be awake pretty soon. He should be here soon, too." The hooded man looked over to his right.  
  
Jounouchi shot a hateful gaze at the hooded man. "Go fuck yerself! When I find a way to get outta here, I'm gonna fuck you up."  
  
The hooded man shrugged his shoulders. "I'm sure you're really pissed. Mind you, I would be too if I were kidnapped..."  
  
"Yeah; yer calm now but just ya wait, punk."  
  
The hooded man turned around and rested a foot at the edge of the building. He smiled.  
  
"Hey! **Hey**! I'm talkin' to ya!"  
  
He appeared to ignore Jounouchi as he continued observing the city streets below.  
  
"Fuckin' asshole! If yer just gonna ignore me, I'm gonna keep on shoutin'!"  
  
His lips then relaxed from its smile as he continued to scan the area.  
  
"Thinkin' ya can kidnap me, the Steel Brawler!? Yer such a fuckin' pussy; not even puttin' up a fight!"  
  
Suddenly, the hooded man leapt from the edge and grabbed his katana, unsheathing it so inhumanly fast that Jounouchi wasn't even aware of the sword having been unsheathed until he noticed that the very edge of the blade was barely hovering below his right earlobe.  
  
The hooded man sneered. "Listen...Katsuya Jounouchi, right?"  
  
Jounouchi was too paralyzed by surprise and fear to make a coherent reply.  
  
The man shrugged as his sneer vanished. "Well, listen for just a second...I really don't have any intentions of killing you; you know that. I'd like to think of myself as a decent enough guy in that aspect. However, I am **not** above disfiguring you—and believe me, it's not a very pleasant experience. Now, if you don't keep your mouth shut until Seto arrives, I will have to cut out your tongue. Do I make myself clear?"  
  
Jounouchi very slowly lowered his head by a scant.  
  
The sadistic smile returned as the man sheathed his sword in one motion. "Good. Now, all that's left to do is wait."  
  
"Then consider it done."  
  
Jounouchi looked up; he smiled. The man turned around. Standing across from the pair was none other than Seto and Amelda.  
  
"Kat—!"Kaiba quickly replaced his smile with a disapproving glare. "Jounouchi! How the hell did someone like you manage to get caught?" He rested his hands on his hips. "Were you too stoned to put up a decent fight?"  
  
"'Jounouchi, are you okay?! For the act of kidnapping you, I will proceed to break this bastard's arm'!" Jounouchi imitated Seto's deep voice as he rolled his eyes. "Man; I didn't do it on purpose! Besides, what the hell is Amelda doin' here?" He paused as he blinked rapidly, his thoughts in motion. "Did ya get caught by Amelda?"  
  
The hooded man snorted as he interjected. "Caught? By _him_?" He jerked his thumb at the redheaded assassin. "I'd certainly hope not! He's not even employed by me anymore, thank goodness. Worst thing I ever spent my money on, and I've been to those really cheap ramen dives downtown."  
  
"He's with me," Seto reluctantly answered as he turned his gaze to the hooded man.  
  
"So finally Seto Kaiba and I meet face-to-face. I guess that means I won't be needing _this_ anymore." The hooded man flicked the photograph towards Seto. Seto held up his right index and middle fingers and caught the photograph as if it were a fly between chopsticks.  
  
"I had a really hard time obtaining a picture of you...it's hard finding a photo of the current Kaiba Corp CEO when there's no photo to find in the first place!" The hooded man eplained with a shrug.  
  
"I don't care about how you obtained this," Seto snarled as he crushed the photograph in his clenched fist. "I'm really fed up with you people attacking the ones closest to me just to get my attention. If you wanted me that badly in the first place, you not only should have done it yourself, but you should have gone soley for me."  
  
The hooded man nodded as he rested a hand on his chin. "Actually, I agree."  
  
Seto blinked. "I...what?"  
  
"Sending Amelda was a mistake. I managed to con him into this ordeal by claiming that I knew how to get the law off his trail. Really, I did this because I wanted to see just what you were capable of...and I was highly disappointed in the results. You put up a very lackluster showing, only to be saved by the blond in the end."  
  
"That's 'Jounouchi' to you, assclown!" Jounouchi called.  
  
Seto scowled. "How did you even know of my fighting ability?"  
  
"That's for you to find out. If you refuse, I will have to further persuade you by taking Mokuba as well."  
  
"What?! How did you know—"  
  
"There's a hell of a lot that I know that you don't know that I know." The hooded man smirked. "We're going to play a little game."  
  
Seto shook his head. "I have no time for this bullshit. We're going to fight. No—Hey!"  
  
Amelda had shoved Seto aside, a small throwing blade in his hand. "Just a second; I demand some answers from this bastard! I don't know what you said, but I saw you looking at me for a moment. Just what was my purpose in all of this anyway?!"  
  
The hooded man sighed. "Amelda, I will explain that later; promise. Now may I please continue?"  
  
"No...no, you may not." Amelda motioned to throw the blade.  
  
"Idiot, _don't_—!" Seto tried to grasp Amelda's wrist, but Amelda had moved much faster, the blade already thrown and speeding towards the hooded man's throat.  
  
The hooded man didn't even flinch as he brought his arms up and clapped his hands together, catching the blade in between his hands. The tip of the blade was a mere half of an inch from his throat.  
  
"Are you done with the melodramatics, Amelda?" The hooded man inquired with no amusement in his tone. He lowered his arms, his right hand nimbly balancing the blade between his ring finger and pinky finger. "I'll be sure to give you an explanation as well; **after** I finish speaking."  
  
"Then hurry it up," Seto growled.  
  
"As I said, we're going to play a little game," the hooded man suggested as he looked directly at Seto. "It's a simple game. All you have to do is knock me down. Amelda and Jounouchi--assuming he ever gets out--are welcome to play since **you** apparently aren't capable of defeating someone on your own these days, Seto. But just to clarify, it is **you** that must knock me down."  
  
"That's it?" An unimpressed Seto rested his hands on his hips.  
  
"Well, if you manage to knock me down, I will reveal myself to you. My identity is the prize."  
  
Seto crossed his arms. "Hn. A very uninteresting prize, but I suppose referring to you as "mother fucker" would get old after a while. I accept." He twirled his left arm over his right, extending it in front of him as he held his right close to his chest.  
  
The hooded man nodded with approval as he raised his fists. "Great. Just remember, this is one of those 'easier said than done' sort of things."  
  
"So? Let's just do this—" Seto felt a hand tapping his shoulder. He turned around, shooting a mean glare at Amelda. "What is it, Amelda?"  
  
"Uh...I just wanted to know what the hell he just said, 'cause you know, I don't speak Japanese," Amelda answered as he slowly stepped back.  
  
Seto nodded as he rolled his eyes. "Basically, that hooded punk wants me to knock him down. He says you and Jounouchi can attack him, but in order for me to find out his identity, I have to be the one that knocks him down."  
  
"Ah." Amelda reached for his jackknife. "Sounds pretty easy."  
  
The hooded man lowered his fists for a moment. "Wait!"  
  
"Now what?" Seto demanded impatiently.  
  
"I forgot to return Amelda's little toy." He threw the weapon back with much force; Amelda was unable to see it until he suddenly felt something prick him on his upper right arm. He noticed the small blade protruding from it.  
  
"Aghh!" Amelda cried as he instantly clutched at the small blade and slowly began to pull it out.  
  
Seto didn't remove his eyes from the hooded man. "So, what's with the sword? Is this not a fair fight?"  
  
The hooded man twirled the sheathed blade in his grip. "Normally, I'd keep this sword around as it would give me some advantage, but considering your disappointing display when it comes to fighting, it would be an insult for me to use it." He rested it on the ground. "So--shall we begin?"  
  
"What's holding you back?!" Seto answered rhetorically as he rushed towards the hooded man. He turned in mid-step and swung his left leg around in a roundhouse kick.  
  
The hooded man held up his left arm and blocked the attack. "Ooh; that attack was strong enough to make anyone blocking it stumble back a few steps...funny that it didn't even make me stagger."  
  
Seto sneered. He attempted a knife-hand strike that was aimed at the man's throat. The man dodged his head to his left to evade the strike; Seto tried again but the man dodged each strike in a side-by-side motion, sighing as he parried the fifth attempt with the back of his left hand and thrust his right palm forwards, striking Seto directly on his chest.  
  
"Jesus!" Jounouchi exclaimed in disbelief. _I've seen Seto use a move like that before...but it never knocked anyone back like _that!  
  
Seto was also in disbelief; the force of the blow had knocked him back twenty feet. He clutched his chest with his left hand as he forced himself to breathe, but instead sputtered and coughed. He could taste the slight tinge of blood on his tongue.  
  
"Well; if the roles were reversed I'd have had your name and face by now," the hooded man taunted as he walked over to Seto. He watched as Seto glared back at him with hate-filled eyes.  
  
Seto back-sprang onto his feet, and immediately commenced with a swift toe kick. It struck the hooded man on his chin, forcing him back. Seto then bent his right arm, his elbow facing outwards, and rushed in with an elbow strike.  
  
The hooded man had recovered too soon. He grabbed Seto's wrist and forced his arm to go straight. Seto was surprised by the maneuver.  
  
"Listen, you're not trying to fight me; you're trying to kick my ass. That's not what I came here for," the hooded man stated sternly as he frowned.  
  
"Hn!" Seto forced his arm back, releasing it from the hooded man's grip.  
  
The hooded man chuckled. "Just fight me. Knock me down, and you'll understand everything. How hard can it be?"  
  
Seto took a deep breath; he coughed due in part to the injury that he sustained at the start of the fight. He raised his hands into Aikido stance once more.  
  
The hooded man nodded as he raised his arms into his Judo stance. "Right; just like that. I want you to prove to me that I'm wrong when I say that you were nothing more than a waste of effort, and merely refuse that should have been tossed aside ages ago. Prove yourself to me, and you'll earn the prize."  
  
Seto frowned; he grew tired of the hooded man's attitude. He closed his eyes.  
  
_He's right; though. So far, I've made some very careless mistakes, against a very careful and precise opponent. He's like nobody I've ever faced before, either. I can't afford to fuck this up; he could very well kill me.  
_  
"Hey; what're you waiting for?" the hooded man called, his fists still raised. "It can't be that hard to think of a way to knock me onto my ass."  
  
Seto grimaced. _He's trying to get me upset again. This is the same kind of tactic I would attempt on Jounouchi to coerce him into doing something stupid...and now he's doing it to me, and it's _working_. I think Jounouchi's mannerisms are finally infecting me._ He moistened his lips as he barely dodged a knife-hand strike; however it managed to graze his upper left arm.  
  
As the two fought, Amelda took the time to crawl towards Jounouchi, a jackknife in his mouth and a makeshift bandage around the small wound the hooded man inflicted upon him earlier. He glanced over at the fighting pair to ensure that he wasn't being noticed before closing the distance between himself and Jounouchi.  
  
However, Jounouchi noticed and his eyes widened to a rather panicked expression. "Don't ya go near me, ya fuckin' homicidal maniac! I'll...I'll kick ya!" He thrust his right leg at the approaching assassin.  
  
Amelda spit the knife out onto this hand. "You're lucky that I can't speak a proper retort in your language, blondie." He flicked the knife, exposing the blade. "Hold still."  
  
Jounouchi flinched as Amelda approached him with the knife. Amelda heaved a frustrated sigh as he pointed at Jounouchi's bound wrists. Jounouchi glanced back at it and nodded as he realized what Amelda really meant, staying as still as he watched Seto's battle.  
  
Seto rolled to the side, barely avoiding the hooded man's dropping heel kick. The man's heel impacted against the ground; he whipped his head and noticed Seto standing to his feet. The man smirked.  
  
"You have more speed than I do; I'll give you that." The hooded man's smirk was replaced by a frown. "Running away won't save you."  
  
"Running away and staying alive long enough to land an effective strike are two different strategies," Seto reminded as he clutched his left upper arm.  
  
"Yes; but considering the number of hits I've gotten off of you versus the number you've gotten off of me...I guess you're going with running away?"  
  
"Maybe you should just stop talking and start paying closer attention." Seto rushed towards the hooded man once again. The hooded man shook his head as he prepared for a defensive counter-attack. Seto motioned to perform a high-striking kick by raising his left leg in the Left Flamingo; the hooded man raised his arms across his face in an effort to grab the kick.  
  
Seto smirked. He suddenly turned on his right heel, using the momentum in a low-spinning sweep attack with his left leg, the back of his heel striking the hooded man's left ankle. The hooded man staggered at first, but as he desperately tried to maintain his balance, he stumbled and began to fall.  
  
"So there, mother-fucker." Seto snarled as he extended his right arm, holding up his middle finger—a gesture he had often seen Jounouchi use.  
  
The hooded man rolled his eyes as he thrust his left arm out, propping himself up on the ground, and thus preventing his fall.  
  
"Son-of-a-bitch...," Seto muttered.  
  
"Oh yeah; I almost forgot that I'm just as agile and fast on my feet as you are." The hooded man pressed his weight on his left hand, and kicked up to propel himself into a backflip, landing in a crouching position. "Convenient that I remember that, eh? It was a good try, attempting to fake me out. I just wonder if you can get away with a surprise strategy again."

"Won't know until we try, then!" Amelda shouted as he struck the hooded man on his back with a dashing knee strike, forcing his head to whiplash forward—the hooded man clutched his hood so as to prevent it from falling back as he fell onto his knees.  
  
"Must you **always** fucking interfere?" Seto demanded.  
  
"Hey; there was nothing in the rules against my participation," Amelda reminded as he rested his foot on the hooded man's back.  
  
"Yes; but only I can knock him down if he's going to reveal himself!"  
  
"Would you calm down? I have him right where we want him. Just run up to him and punt 'im, and this mess will be done and over with."  
  
Seto gnashed his teeth together; he clenched his fists so tightly that the blood had drained from his knuckles.  
  
"You're both taking too long with your bickering," the hooded man suddenly said as he reached back with both hands, grasping Amelda's ankle.  
  
Amelda looked down, shocked at the sudden move. "What the--?!"  
  
The hooded man spun around, forcing Amelda to spin off of his back; Amelda crashed onto the ground shoulder-first.  
  
"That's definitely going to leave a nasty little scrape," the hooded man jested as he returned his gaze to Seto. "Now then, where was I?"  
  
Suddenly, he felt a driving force crash into him from behind, forcing him to stumble several steps towards Seto. Seto sneered as he approached the hooded man, stepping onto the man's left knee and propelling himself over the man. Seto then used a right kick to strike the hooded man on the back of his head, forcing the man to crash onto the ground face-first.  
  
Jounouchi ran up to Seto as the brunet landed. "Hey-hey; how was that fer a diversion?"  
  
Seto exhaled a relieved sigh as he clutched his left arm once again. "That headstrongness of yours certainly can prove advantageous when you want it to be."  
  
"Uh..." Jounouchi trailed.  
  
Seto's eyebrows lifted in annoyance. "Then let me translate it into words you'd understand: 'Yer hot streak jus' fuckin' saved my ass, man'."  
  
"Oh...ya coulda spared me the textbook words and said that second one outright, ya know!" Jounouchi exclaimed as he scratched the back of his head. "And were ya jus' makin' fun of how I talk?"  
  
"You did the same thing to me earlier." Seto smiled with amusement.  
  
"Yer lucky yer so hot," Jounouchi muttered as he briefly turned away to spit. "By the way, that move ya did...ya jacked that from that Who-ah-rang guy!"  
  
"Jounouchi, for the last time: 'Hooah-wrong'. It's not that hard. Besides, the move I used proved effective," Seto replied with a slight shrug. "I'm just so glad that you're okay."  
  
Jounouchi smiled. "No worries, man. That guy's just a pussy. He wasn't gonna do nothin' to me."  
  
"Wait; so he jumps in and gets praised. I jump in, and I get yelled at? What the fuck?" Amelda demanded as he sat up, clutching his shoulder.  
  
"I don't like you," Seto reminded bluntly.  
  
"Hey; go a little easy on 'im, huh? If it weren't for 'im, I wouldn't have been able to get that free shoulder-ram setup off hoodie-boy over there."  
  
Seto bit his lip as he turned to Amelda. "Thanks," he muttered.  
  
"Well; I feel a little better now, at least." Amelda brushed his hand across his pants. "So, what about him? You knocked him down, right, so he has to reveal himself."  
  
"That's right," Seto agreed in his native language. "So? Let's have it. Your name, and your face."  
  
"Right, right," the hooded man sighed. "It was my fault for allowing Jounouchi and Amelda to play along, but them's the breaks, right? As I promised, I will tell you my name and show you my face."  
  
"And answer some of our questions, I hope," Amelda added as he gripped his jackknife.  
  
"Questions? Well, we shall see if we can get around to that," the hooded man shrugged his shoulders once again.  
  
"Just get it over with already," Seto growled between heavy breaths. Jounouchi cracked his knuckles, and Amelda tightened his grip on his jackknife.  
  
"All right. But please; allow me the courtesy to properly introduce myself, as I feel that I owe you all that much." His sadistic smile was visible as he raised his hands to clutch his indigo hood. He pulled it back in one swift motion.  
  
It was as though all time had stopped. Neither Seto, Jounouchi, nor Amelda could properly react to the sight that lay before them; the revelation of the mysterious hooded man was simply too shocking for an immediate reaction.  
  
Jounouchi had to glance at Seto and then back at the opposing man, then back at Seto and back at the man again.  
  
Amelda suddenly realized that he had dropped his jackknife, but was too shocked to bend down and pick it up from the ground.  
  
Seto continued to stare directly at the man, his expression a combination of utter disbelief, disgust, and even...fear.  
  
"Impossible..." Seto whispered. "This can't be."  
  
What had been first revealed when the man removed his hood was a pair of devious sapphire eyes that had pale violet "eyelash" tattoos at the corners of his sockets. Soon he exposed his sienna bangs, which hung around his face similarly to that of Seto's save that it was less tamed; the rest of his hair was jet black and tied back into a ponytail.  
  
"As I said," the revealed man stated with that sadistic smile, "Allow me the courtesy to properly introduce myself to all of you. My name is Noa Kaiba."

* * *

**AUTHOR'S COMMENTS  
**  
There you have it! The identity of the hooded man has been revealed as none other than Noa Kaiba, the estranged brother of Seto. If you've noticed (and I'm sure you've noticed quickly), this rendition of Noa is a LOT different from that which you've seen in the Yu Gi Oh anime—whereas the anime Noa was a kid (and a non-living one at that), this one's an adult—who's very much alive and whose talents could easily rival, if not defeat Seto's own. He's going to be Seto's toughest opponent, and you'll be reading more about him in later chapters. Also, I apologise to the Noa fans in the audience if you're upset by how much I've changed him. I meant no disrespect!  
  
Readers to address: Nyako-chan: The winner of the match between Paul Phoenix and GunJack was Paul. I mean, come on: this was Tekken 3, where Paul was infamously cheesy. grins I probably didn't mention it, so if anyone else was curious—there you go.  
  
TsuyaKK: Jounouchi has never had any formal martial arts training, though his style could best be described as a mix of basic Karate and boxing. Who knows; maybe Seto could coerce Jounouchi into taking up an art or two.  
  
Anyway, thanks again for reading and reviewing! As always, I appreciate the support, and I'll be reading more fics (I haven't forgotten! I WILL get to y'all eventually! sweatdrop ) soon! 


	20. Brief Diversion

**Chapter 20: Brief Diversion**  
  
Seto shook his head. "This simply can't be possible...who are you? Really?"  
  
Noa sighed. "Didn't I _just _tell you? My name is Noa Kaiba."  
  
"Bullshit!" Seto held up two fingers. "There are only two living Kaibas and that's myself and Mokuba."  
  
Noa shook his head as he waggled his index finger at Seto. "Wrong. There are three Kaibas. However, your surprise is expected. I mean, we've never met before! Why, you didn't even know that I existed, but I knew about you. I've known about you for a very long time now."  
  
Seto gradually stepped forward. "How could you have possibly known about me?"  
  
Noa arched a brow. "You're kidding me, right? Seto Kaiba, the little genius brat who replaced me is asking how I could have known." He rested his hands on his hips. "Ever heard of a computer?"  
  
Seto could feel himself trembling. "Okay; now you're just mocking me. And just what is this babbling about **me** replacing **you**?"  
  
Noa shook his head. "Oh; I guess daddy didn't tell you anything after all."  
  
Seto grabbed Noa's hoodie. "If you had no inkling that there existed another person with your face running around, and you suddenly meet him for the first time, you'd have little understanding of what the fuck is going on. I want to know who you **really** are, why you look like me, and just what your purpose is."  
  
Noa's sapphire eyes gazed into Seto's azure pair.  
  
"You're not ready."  
  
Seto scowled. "What are you talking about?"  
  
"It's the shock of having seen me for the first time—which as I said is understandable. It's clouding your better judgment." Noa smirked. "Tell you what; I'll let this introduction sink in with you for a little while longer, and when you've cooled down, I'll pay you another visit." He suddenly thrust his fist outwards, the blow connecting onto Seto's midriff.  
  
"Hn_ngh_?!" Seto gasped as he hunched over.  
  
"It's better this way. You're way too pissed off to think rationally." Noa stood as he felt Seto's grip loosening its hold on his hoodie. Seto soon began to drop.  
  
"Kaiba!" Jounouchi moved quickly to catch Seto before he fell onto the hard surface of the rooftop.  
  
Noa applauded. "Timely catch there, Jounouchi."  
  
"Fuck you," Jounouchi snarled. "I don't get what the hell is goin' on here, but I know enough to know that yer a real piece o' work."  
  
Noa smiled modestly. "Yeah; I know I'm not exactly a model brother. He does look a lot like me ...well; he doesn't have that roughness that I've got...kinda frail, like mother was." He looked up at Jounouchi; the dirty blond remained stationary as he continued to scowl at Noa.  
  
"Ya better leave; **now**, before I get violent on ya," Jounouchi warned as he clutched Seto closer to himself. "You've done enough damage 'ere tonight."  
  
"I understand that you have to defend Seto." Noa paused. "Actually, I'm surprised that he's got someone that's willing to defend him at all. I guess my studies were a tad outdated. Anyway, I bid you all a good night. Make sure you take good care of my baby bro', okay?" He smiled as he pulled the hood back over his head.  
  
"Hey; wait! What about my answers?" Amelda demanded as he dashed forward.  
  
Noa glanced over his shoulder. He stifled a laugh and shook his head before leaping over the edge of the building.  
  
"Dammit!" Amelda snatched his knife up from the ground. "That deceitful, lying son-of-a-bitch!"  
  
Jounouchi glanced up at Amelda, unsure as to what exactly the assassin was ranting about. He shook his head, instead looking down at the unconscious Seto.  
  
"Shit...I can't believe that I was fooled too. I had no idea that Seto had another brother out there, and that apparently I was a mere tool in all of this. Tch, it's all starting to make sense." He tossed the blade into the air. "It seems I have some extra work to do." Amelda turned and departed in the opposite direction from which Noa had exited.  
  
Jounouchi slowly stood up, hoisting Seto up in his arms.  
  
_Damn, this wasn't the kind of action I expected tonight..._

_

* * *

_  
  
"Hh_hhh_!"  
  
With a sharp gasp, Seto bolted upright from his slumber, his brow covered in cold sweat. The heavy sound of his breathing drowned out the beating of his heart, though the brunet could feel the muscle's rapid pounding in his chest. He glanced down, his hands releasing its hold on the sheets and revealing what appeared to be small tears. His eyes widened as he stared at the small slashes.  
  
"Hey...wha's wrong, blue-eyes?"  
  
Seto jolted and quickly looked over across from him and noticed that Jounouchi was residing on the sofa.  
  
He sighed a breath of relief. "Jounouchi; it's only you."  
  
"Huh? Ya disappointed by that?" Jounouchi stretched.  
  
"No, I'm not disappointed or anything," Seto denied. "How...how long have I been out? All I remember is that Noa punched me and then I blacked out. "  
  
Jounouchi glanced over at the clock, and frowned. "It's 'bout a quarter 'til seven. We got back here at 'bout twelve-thirty...mm, maybe seven or eight hours. Too early fer me to figure any math shit out. Pro'ly best that he knocked ya out before ya overdid it anyway."  
  
Seto nodded as he slowly swung his legs over the bed. He suddenly let out a wince as he started to walk.  
  
Jounouchi slowly sat up. "Ya alright there?"  
  
Seto nodded as he gently rubbed his right calf. "I'm just really sore from that battle last night."  
  
Jounouchi nodded. "Hey...Seto?"  
  
Seto drummed his fingers on the doorjamb. "Yes?"  
  
"Are ya gonna be okay?"  
  
"Of course. I'm not going to overreact the next time that we meet."  
  
"Okay. I just worry that ya might do somethin' yer gonna later regret." He reached for his lighter.  
  
"I know." Seto looked up at the ceiling.  
  
Jounouchi flipped the lighter open. "Are ya as confused about that Noa guy as I am?"  
  
"I think in this case I'm much more confused than you are."  
  
Jounouchi flipped the lighter shut. "Huh. So ya really didn't know that ya had another brother..."  
  
"Excuse me? Brother?"  
  
"Uh, yeah. He referred to you as his brother."  
  
"Tch! There's a word I'll never use for him," Seto spat.  
  
Jounouchi nimbly shuffled his lighter between his fingers. "So uh, what do we do now? Do we try to find out more about him?"  
  
Seto shook his head. "We're not going to do anything. I'm going to let him make the first move—mainly because I don't know enough about him to simply confront him outright. Besides, it would be more sensible this way so that I may plan a better strategy."  
  
Jounouchi leaned back. "A'ight. I'll trust yer judgment, but just so ya know—if he does anything, and I mean** anything** to threaten ya, I'll go after 'im."  
  
Seto smiled wryly. "I have no doubt about that. Anyway, we have to get ready for school. I have to broadcast the latest match in that tournament today..." He rolled his eyes. "I'll be taking a brief shower."  
  
Jounouchi sprung to his feet. "Oh hey; I need one too, and since we're in a hurry—"  
  
"You can use the one in the guest room."  
  
"Damn it."  
  
Seto smirked as he shut the door.

* * *

It was time for recess, but the majority of the Junior Class B—and Otogi—were all gathered around Seto and his laptop in the classroom, which was broadcasting the webcast of the current match in the popular King of Iron Fist tournament.  
  
"Man; I've been dyin' to catch this one since Sunday's battle," Jounouchi stated as he stretched.  
  
"I was so glad that Hwoarang won that match. I swear; I'm one of the only girls that supports him. Everyone else is all about Jin Kazama—and for the wrong reasons! They're all 'Oh; Jin Kazama is so cute!' and 'I'm gonna be Jin's girlfriend!'—they're so clueless. Even if they could meet him, he's too busy training to give a damn about them," Anzu ranted.  
  
All eyes, except for Seto's, were on Anzu.  
  
Anzu frowned. "What?! I'm just really into this tournament thing." She turned her gaze back to the screen.  
  
"Then could ya tell us who's in the next match an' when?" Jounouchi challeneged.  
  
"Nina Williams against Julia Chang," Anzu muttered.  
  
"Dude; chick fight." Jounouchi nodded with a sly smirk. Anzu frowned and looked the other way.  
  
"Hey; isn't that Wulong guy like fifty or something?" One of the students inquired.  
  
"Naw; he's like forty-somethin'," Honda answered.  
  
"'Forty-something'? Amazing how that's not an age," Seto muttered, making no effort to hide his sarcasm.  
  
Honda scowled at Seto. "Hey; I know he was twenty-six in the second tournament!"  
  
"Forty-five," Seto concluded. "Now shut up; they're about to start this thing."  
  
"Man; we're watching this offa his laptop _why_?" Honda whispered to Jounouchi.  
  
"It's his good deed for the decade," Jounouchi whispered back.  
  
[The two fighters stood across from each other in the crowded arena. The fighter on the left was a tall dark-skinned Brazilian man. His dark umber hair was styled in dreadlocks and tied back, save for a few errant locks that hung over his forehead. He wore a gaudy green and yellow outfit—a skintight sleeveless top that stopped short of his muscular midriff, and a matching pair of pants that flared at the cuffs.  
  
The opposing fighter was a Chinese man of average height. His long charcoal hair was pulled back in a ponytail hairstyle with his bangs hanging at the sides of his face. He wore a very elaborate Chinese-style outfit; a shimmering emerald green top with the sleeves rolled an inch past the wrists, and a pair of silk fuchsia pants, also displaying intricate patterns that could only be revealed in certain lighting. ]  
  
"I don't' know about you guys, but **I've** been wanting to see Lei Wulong fight since forever, man!" Honda exclaimed. "Five different martial arts...man; you just can't beat that."  
  
"Hey, didn't he compete in the second tournament?" Jounouchi asked.  
  
"Damn skippy! It's experience that's gonna win it for him."  
  
"He looks a little like Jackie Chan," Anzu observed.  
  
"Dude; he's way cooler than Jackie Chan," Honda retorted.  
  
Seto cleared his throat. "The fight is about to begin, so everybody, please shut up. Don't forget who's being generous enough to share this experience with you."  
  
["..._FIGHT_!"]  
  
"If Wulong loses this, I swear that I'm gonna boycott the King of Iron Fist Tournament forever," Honda declared.  
  
"Yeah; that's great Honda," Otogi drawled as he watched the screen.  
  
"I mean, come on: Wulong has experience. And I don't care what anyone says, Capoeira is not a real style," Honda ranted.  
  
"_Shh_!" Anzu hissed as her eyes remained glued on the laptop screen.  
  
[Eddy had made the first move. He had attempted to knock Lei down with a series of sweeping strikes by propping himself on his hands and singing his lengthy legs around as if he were break dancing, moving swiftly and skillfully. However, Lei managed to parry the oncoming attack and countered with a low sweep of his own, sweeping the Brazilian off of his feet and striking him with a rising roundhouse strike as Eddy fell. The crowd was ecstatic once again.]  
  
"Hey, did you hear about Kokurano from Class A? He claims that he knows who's going to win the tournament," A student mentioned in a hushed tone.  
  
[Eddy ran up to Lei and performed a mid-air backflip , thrusting his feet forward and striking Lei on his chest. Lei crashed onto the ground, though he kicked up into the air and sprung back onto his feet.]  
  
"Kokurano? Who's that?" Jounouchi murmured quizzically as he continued to watch the screen.  
  
[Lei thrust his hands forward in two successful Snake-style strikes to Eddy's chest, stunning the Brazilian fighter long enough to raise his arms high above his head as if they were outstretched wings. He lifted his right leg to complete the transition from his regular fighting stance into Crane Stance.]  
  
"Oh, he's that psychic that claims that he can see the future. People are always lining up to get their futures foreseen during recess," another student answered.  
  
[Lei thrust his fist forward in one swift yet powerful motion, attempting to strike at Eddy with the Crane punch. Eddy slipped under the punch and, using his hands, spun around on the ground, his protruding legs sweeping Lei off of his feet and knocking him down to the ground. Some of the crowd jeered.]  
  
"Damnit!" Honda cursed through his teeth.  
  
Seto snorted. "You mean people actually believe in that bullshit? I thought there were some morons in this school, but god-damn..."  
  
"What? You don't think that there are people that have a sixth sense?" Otogi asked.  
  
"Sixth sense? If anyone claims to be able to predict things, 'see things', they're scamming you. There's no such thing as supernatural abilities, period."  
  
Otogi twirled some of his hair around his finger in a habitual manner. "So what DO you believe?"  
  
Seto moistened his lips as he continued to watch the screen. "I believe that I'm watching the match, so you better be quiet."  
  
[Lei brushed a hand across his mouth; the Capoeira fighter's consistent speed and varied movements proved difficult for the multi-styled martial artist to discern. Lei shook his head and raised his fists once again, a look of sheer determination on his face.  
  
Eddy pointed at Lei in a rather arrogant gesture, and resumed his rhythmic stance. Lei remained stationary.  
  
Eddy slowly approached Lei with caution in each step.]  
  
"God; I hope Eddy loses for the simple fact that he's makin' me fucking dizzy with them breakdance-lookin' moves," Jounouchi muttered as he rubbed his temples.  
  
"That would be your brain cells trying to comprehend what's happening in the fight," Seto murmured.  
  
"Say what?!" Jounouchi glowered at the brunet.  
  
"I said shut the hell up and watch the damn fight."  
  
[Eddy began shifting towards Lei's left. Lei, remaining unmoving, continued to keep a cautious and observant eye on the Brazilian fighter.  
  
Suddenly, Eddy sharply stepped to his left; Lei's left foot slightly scooted over in response. Without pause, Eddy performed a handless cartwheel kick--shifting his direction to his right in the process--with the intention that the double-striking attack would successfully connect against Lei's head, knocking the Chinese fighter out of the tournament.  
  
However, Wulong had his own strategy in mind. Just as Eddy's legs swung over, Lei suddenly dropped to the ground and lay down on his back, causing Eddy to completely whiff his attack. He landed on the ground, his back facing his downed opponent—a dangerously vulnerable position. The crowd was rendered silent by the shocking development.  
  
Lei first placed his weight first on his feet, transferring the pressure to his hands as soon as he lifted his feet from the ground and propelled himself into a rising spring kick, striking the vulnerable Eddy Gordo, and launching him into the air. Lei instantly took two steps forward and then performed a high roundhouse kick that struck Eddy on his side—Eddy's face contorted due to the severe pain of the blow as he came crashing onto the ground.  
  
The crowd roared with excitement.  
  
The winner was declared.]  
  
"Yes!!" Honda exclaimed as he leapt up into the air. "I knew he'd win!"  
  
"Geez; I bet he broke a few ribs with that blow," Anzu observed.  
  
"I bet if we had surround sound, we could totally hear them crack!" A student exclaimed excitedly.  
  
"You're sick," another student affirmed with a hint of disgust in her voice as she glanced down at her watch. "It ended just in time--Chono's gonna be back any minute, and you know we'd catch holy hell if she had caught us."  
  
"Then that's my cue to exit," Otogi declared. "I honestly don't understand the appeal of these televised blood matches."  
  
"Then stop botherin' us and get out, huh?" Jounouchi shooed as Otogi slid the door open and stepped out of the classroom.  
  
Seto suddenly stood, briefcase held in his left hand, and his novel clutched in the other. "I hope you all enjoyed the show. I too shall be taking my leave. If you need me, I will be in my office, but you better have a damn good reason because I **will** beat you with my briefcase." He promptly departed from the classroom.  
  
"Yeah; now that Hirano's done wit' his 'good deed o' the decade', he can go back to bein' a complete asshole," Jounouchi declared. Some of the students giggled, and Seto turned around, shooting an angry glare at Jounouchi.  
  
"What?" Jounouchi challenged. "Ya got somethin' to say?"  
  
"No; you'd need a dictionary to comprehend at **least** seventy-five percent of it." Seto immediately continued on his way as Jounouchi growled at the brunet's retreating form.

* * *

A figure's shadow blocked Seto's light.  
  
"Hey there, blue-eyes."  
  
Slowly, Seto looked up from his novel. "Jounouchi, did you miss me so much that you're skipping **gym** of all classes?"  
  
"Coach Karita can kiss my ass," Jounouchi scoffed with a sneer.  
  
Seto sneered. "Like I would allow anyone to get near your ass."  
  
"Dude, it's just a figure o' speech."  
  
Seto shut his eyes in a rather haughty manner. "I know."  
  
Jounouchi sat down beside Seto. "Well, ya may be able to fool the class that yer the same ol' SOB Hirano, but not me."  
  
"Of course you could see through my acting this time. After all, you were right in the middle of that mess last night."  
  
Jounouchi looked over at Seto. "Seto..."  
  
Seto slammed his book shut. "I told you; repeatedly—I'm fine. A little disturbed by last night's revelation, but I'm okay."  
  
Jounouchi stared up towards the azure sky above him. "I want to believe ya. I really do."  
  
"So what's holding you back?"  
  
Jounouchi turned his gaze to the dead grass below him.  
  
"Ya almost got killed durin' that whole Amelda episode, and I have a bad feelin' that Noa's lookin' to kill you too. He seems to be a much stronger person than you can handle alone."  
  
"So you're saying that I should just depend on someone to help me?" Seto's eyes narrowed dangerously.  
  
Jounouchi flinched at the sight of Seto's anger. "Yeah; maybe that's what I'm gettin' at. I understand that you prefer bein' alone, but in this case ya may need some support to fall back on. This isn't gonna be an easy battle, especially with that weird condition of yours where ya pass out after fightin' fer too long. That's what I'm scared of the most. I'm afraid yer gonna overdo it and then Noa—or whoever else is gonna come after you—will take advantage of that and kill you right there an' then. I just got this bad feelin' that the fightin' won't be done before you wind up blackin' out. That's why I think you need someone to have yer back, so to speak, so that someone won't let them take you out fer good when it does happen."  
  
Seto looked down at his lengthy legs as he absorbed Jounouchi's concerning words. His sienna hair spilled over his eyes, masking his complete expression from Jounouchi.  
  
Jounouchi swallowed. "Seto?"  
  
"I can't."  
  
"What?"  
  
Seto began to gather his things. "I can't give a proper reply to this. This is on the verge of overwhelming me; I'll need to think it over."  
  
"Wait; where're ya goin'?"  
  
Seto quickly stood to his feet. "I don't know. Maybe back to class or something."  
  
"Seto, wait!" Jounouchi reached out and grasped Seto's left wrist. "Look at me. **Please**."  
  
Seto slowly complied with Jounouchi's request; his azure eyes displayed a look that was unfamiliar to the dirty blond.  
  
"I know I can't make ya promise to _not_ get yerself killed. I mean hell; yer gettin' a lecture on bein' careful from one of the most reckless people at this school! Anyway, I understand that this is all just so much fer ya right now and that it's hard fer ya to express yerself and all that. I...shit; I don't know what more to say without repeatin' myself."  
  
"You don't really need to say anything else. I just have a lot to think about. It's not easy for me to maintain my demeanour when I have a lot on my plate."  
  
_Which is why you shouldn't have to do this alone._ Jounouchi bit his lip in frustration; of all the times not to speak what was on his mind, why now?  
  
Seto blinked. "Katsuya, is something wrong?"  
  
Jounouchi sighed. "No...nothin's wrong. I'm just upset that ya gotta deal with this."  
  
"It's just another hardship. 'So what' I say. I'll manage. I always do."  
  
Jounouchi slowly pulled the brunet towards him until their hips were almost touching. "Just so long as ya mean that." He gently brushed his lips against Seto's own, coercing him into a kiss.  
  
As they kissed, Jounouchi's eyes slightly opened to observe the brunet that stood in front of him.  
  
_Yer just too frail to be dealin' with all this..._  
  
He slowly shut his amber eyes.  
  
"Oh my **God**..."  
  
Azure and amber eyes snapped open alike as the sudden cry forced the two apart. The duo rotated their heads to face the person that had discovered them in the midst of their act.  
  
It was Anzu. She appeared as though she were an animal caught within the headlights of a car. Her eyes darted back and forth between Seto and Jounouchi, her mouth agape from the shock, and her arms remaining at her sides.  
  
Neither teen knew what to make of their predicament. Seto suddenly decided to speak up.  
  
"Uh...hi, Anzu."  
  
Jounouchi shot a glare at Seto before turning his gaze to Anzu. "Uh...hey Anzu! Uh, I dunno what you think this is—"  
  
"Stuff it," Anzu interrupted. Despite her tone, there wasn't a single trace of anger upon her features. "This...this is one hell of a sight to walk in on. Jounouchi, Hirano... If I recall correctly, you two hated each other...unless that was just some façade or whatever. So, how long has this been going on? Since Hirano started attending here? Is that why he started going—"  
  
Seto and Jounouchi rushed towards Anzu, each of them clasping a hand over her mouth, cutting her words off.  
  
"Uh, this has kinda been goin' on fer about two months now," Jounouchi admitted. "At first? Hell yeah; we hated each other. But ya remember how I 'suddenly' became less and less interested in my pornos?"  
  
Anzu nodded.  
  
"Well, it's 'cause o' him." Jounouchi briefly leaned his head towards Seto. "Ya see, we would wind up fightin' on occasion after school hours, but it just kinda escalated from there. I started gettin' dreams about Seto and...well, ya know how that tends to end up."  
  
"We didn't want anyone here to know that we're an item, so we continue to carry on our façade in front of you and everyone else in the school. We really didn't want anybody having knowledge of this because it was a private affair," Seto added. He suddenly became expressionless. "Just what are you doing here anyway?"  
  
Anzu arched a sardonic brow gesturing to her mouth that she wanted the boys' hands removed from it. Seto and Jounouchi looked at each other and nodded. They slowly removed their hands from the girl's mouth.  
  
"I was gonna come by to see if you had any of Naoki's music on MP3, since you're the resident cyber-punk around here."  
  
Seto cocked his head to the side. "'Cyberpunk'? So I'm a genre now?"  
  
"No; not cyberpunk; cyber-**punk**. Two words. It's the handsomer, sleeker version of the computer geek," Anzu explained.  
  
"Your words or someone else's?"  
  
"Confidential information."  
  
"Hn." Seto crossed his arms.  
  
Anzu gazed over at Jounouchi. "Now then, where were we before—oh, right. You and Jounouchi--who really surprises me seeing as how he's super- straight and all--totally making out. Seriously Jounouchi, this is definitely a shocker," Anzu trailed as she looked over at Seto again. "Though Hirano, no offense--but I always thought that you were a bit on the gay side from the start."  
  
"Thanks, Anzu," Seto replied coldly.  
  
Anzu shrugged her shoulders. "Come on; you're just too pretty."  
  
"So was that Benimaru Nikaido from the old King of Fighters competitions, but he's heterosexual," Seto reminded.  
  
"Hey; I don't consider myself queer or nothin'...I'm more like bi," Jounouchi muttered in the background as he scratched his chin.  
  
Anzu ignored Jounouchi. "So Hirano, does that mean you're bi too?"  
  
Seto looked away. "I think even **you** are smart enough to figure that out."  
  
Anzu gently punched Seto on his shoulder. "Then don't take offense when I say that you're gay, huh? Because if you are, you are, and you shouldn't worry about it."  
  
"So yer cool with this?" Jounouchi raised a puzzled brow.  
  
Anzu shrugged her shoulders. "Well; yeah. I mean, I look at yaoi all the time, so I would certainly hope that I have a tolerance for this sort of thing."  
  
Jounouchi clasped Anzu's hands. "Ohhh, I will pay you back very much for this, mark my words."  
  
Anzu appeared unimpressed. "You're lucky I'm so easy to please. Just bring the Asahi over to my house sometime before next Tuesday, huh?"  
  
Seto's eyebrows shot up at Anzu.  
  
Anzu smiled at Seto. "Hey; I didn't get to hang out with these guys because I was so ladylike. Anyway, I better get back to class...I told coach that I needed to change my tampon out."  
  
Seto and Jounouchi both glared at the girl.  
  
"Anzu, I don't care how unladylike you claim yourself to be; mention anything about your...womanly functions...ever again, and I will hit you with my book," Seto warned as he cringed.  
  
"Just don't kill me with it. 'Girls number one Mazaki Anzu: death by novel'," Anzu joked as she waved and walked off.  
  
Seto sighed as he leaned his head back against the brick wall. Jounouchi too, sighed and slumped down against the brick wall.  
  
"Busted," Jounouchi stated out of the blue.  
  
"No kidding."  
  
"Then again, I guess it was a matter o' time before someone caught us doin' the P.D.A."  
  
"Well, it's not like we're the first. I'm sure Honda could recount some horror stories."  
  
Jounouchi's eyes widened. "You heard about what happened between Honda and Emi back in first year?"  
  
"There's literature about it on the walls in Class D's area."  
  
Jounouchi whistled. "Well, we'll just not mention that around him."  
  
"Yeah..."  
  
Jounouchi shifted, leaning against the brick wall with his right shoulder so that he could face Seto easily. "Hey..."  
  
Seto looked over at Jounouchi. "Hn?"  
  
Jounouchi's eyes narrowed, but in a more affectionate manner. "It's gonna be alright."  
  
"I'm not worried about him in the least."  
  
"I know. But I'm just sayin' that it'll be okay in the end—"  
  
"Sure. Yeah..." Seto clutched his arms around himself tightly. "As I said, it's just another hardship. So what?"  
  
"So what are you going to do, hrm?"  
  
Jounouchi was the first to react by raising his fists in a boxing stance. Seto turned around, soon discovering the newest intruder.  
  
Noa.  
  
He was dressed in the same attire that he had worn the previous night, albeit he wore a long-sleeved mesh shirt beneath the sleeveless hoodie.  
  
"What are you doing **here** in the middle of school?" Seto demanded.  
  
"School? You're kidding me, right?" Noa snorted. "This place doesn't look like it has much to offer in the ways of education. But I guess we're lucky to have been given such an advanced education, eh, Seto? I guess this is where you go for free time, huh?"  
  
"Cut it out with the damn digressions," Seto growled. Jounouchi crept closer to Seto, his sights remaining on the other Kaiba.  
  
"Fine. Sounds like you're more eager to listen than to beat me to a pulp this time anyway." Noa reached into the pocket of his jeans, pulling out a folded slip of paper. "Here you go." He flicked his wrist, sending the note flying towards Seto.  
  
Seto caught the note with ease, hastily unfolding it to examine its contents.  
  
"So...is that convenient?" Noa inquired as he casually nested his hands inside of the pockets of his jeans. "I wouldn't want to disrupt your 'learning' or anything."  
  
"It'll do," Seto replied. "When--?"  
  
"What's today? Tuesday?" Noa tapped his foot. "How does Thursday sound? That way you could use Wednesday to prepare."  
  
Seto narrowed his eyes. "Prepare for _what_?"  
  
"I have as much of an intention to fight you as I do to talk to you—I'll explain it to you Thursday. Just be prepared in case I suddenly lunge out at you or something."  
  
"I'll be sure to smash my heel onto your face if you do that," Seto assured.  
  
Noa saluted the duo as he turned around, slowly walking away. "Anyway, see you in a couple of days. Feel free to show up whenever you feel like it; if I'm asleep just poke me or something."  
  
"Then I'll have to remember to bring sharp objects and arrive at four in the morning," Seto muttered.  
  
Noah laughed. "Oh, you're quite a card, little Seto. Save some of that charm for when we meet on Thursday, because it may be the only thing you'll have going for you."

* * *

**AUTHOR'S NOTES**  
  
This chapter was extremely difficult for me to write for—I needed an extra day to proofread it as I didn't want to post a bad chapter. I consider this to be more of a diversion from the current situations at hand, with the Iron Fist Tournament screening in the classroom (hence the title of the chapter). But if you picked up on Seto and Jounouchi's conversation and Anzu's discovery—take note.  
  
And next chapter, Noa will be revealing a little bit of information about himself...and maybe a thing or two about Seto that Seto didn't even know about himself.  
  
**RANDOM REFERENCES NOTES:**

(I've decided to implement these since there are references that may go over readers' heads. Hope this helps!)  
  
Benimaru Nikaido is a character in SNK/Playmore's King of Fighters game series. He often dresses and acts in a way that would be considered to be a little effeminate, but in fact he is indeed canonically heterosexual.  
  
"Asahi" is a brand of Japanese beer. There will be more details as to why Anzu drinks it in future chapters.  
  
Naoki (aka Naoki Maeda) may be best known amongst Dance Dance Revolution fans for the various songs and mixes he makes for the famous game series. Some of his songs include Dynamite Rave, Brilliant 2 U, Luv to Me (AMD Mix), Matsuri Japan, and Healing Vision, among others.

Anzu's line of "Girls number one: Mazaki Anzu, death by novel" alludes to the movie Battle Royale. This could be the novel that Seto is currently reading, hence the reference Anzu makes.   
  
The brief conversation about Tekken's Lei Wulong bearing resemblance to Martial Arts superstar Jackie Chan is a reference to the Tekken 2/Mortal Kombat crossover fan fiction "Ashes of the Phoenix", by Victar, where Lei Wulong is often confused for said Jackie Chan. You can check it out at but be warned—it's a very long read.


	21. One Rough Time

_INTERLUDE: TWO WEEKS AGO_  
  
"It's like I don't know nothin' about him at all."  
  
Mai nodded slowly as she extinguished her cigarette in an ashtray. "It's obviously making you frustrated."  
  
"Well; yeah. I've told him a few personal things 'bout me. I've told 'im 'bout my drunken dad, my sister; he already knows of my past ties with the Crashers. But every time I try to turn it around on him, he avoids the subject, sayin' that it's none o' my business. It pisses me off because here I am, pourin' my past out, but he's bein' a tightlips 'bout his own!"  
  
"Perhaps there's something about his past that he's ashamed about," Mai suggested.  
  
"Could be. He told me that his parents were dead and that's it; his kid brother told me more; talkin' 'bou the orphanage, but I gotta pretend that I don't know about all that...sometimes I wonder if any o' that has a lot to do with his not tellin' me. But if he trusts me as much as he says he does, why is he unable to tell me?"  
  
"Well, how do you feel about your own past?"  
  
"Man; I'm fine wit' it. Obviously there's parts that I ain't too proud of, but that's how ya get wiser, ya know? Seto's way of learning from the past is kinda like mine, except he simply takes the experience and throws the rest away. It's made 'im real...intro...intro...that word fer someone who's anti-social or somethin'."  
  
"Introverted."  
  
"Yeah; what you said; inverted. He has a hard time trustin' people, and he just feels that his past aint' shit."  
  
Mai gently drummed her fingers on the counter. "Well, let me ask you another question: How do you think Seto must feel about his past?"  
  
"...huh. Damn, that's what I love about ya, Mai; ya always know the right thing to say."  
  
"You understand better now, don't you? Something about Seto's past is still haunting him, hence the heavy denial, and overall avoidance of the topic whenever it's brought up."  
  
"So obviously somethin's botherin' him. I don't wanna confront 'im outright, but I don't wanna feel like I'm with someone that's like a stranger 'cause I hardly know 'im either."  
  
"Well, I can't tell you what you should do. You're good at following your instincts, Katsuya. That's all I can tell you."

* * *

**Chapter 21: One Rough Time**  
  
"Man, yer fuckin' out of it if yer really gonna face Noa alone," Jounouchi insisted as Seto tied the laces on his sneakers.  
  
Seto glimpsed at Jounouchi as he started tying his other sneaker. "What you mean is that I'm 'fuckin' out of it because I won't let you come along."  
  
Jounouchi looked away as he crossed his arms. "Alright, I won't lie to ya; I **do** wanna tag along, in case ya need the help."  
  
"And you know that there's no chance in hell of me **ever** needing your help." Seto stood up. He wore a navy blue hoodie that was a size too large, a pair of black track pants that had blue stripes running up the side, and a pair of black sneakers with sky blue laces and accents.  
  
"Seto; come on. Noa's a hard fighter. Ya may think yer just as hard, but ya gotta know yer limits."  
  
"Limits," Seto muttered. "Limits are made to be surpassed. I will find a way to overcome this unusual affliction of mine."  
  
"How long have you been trying?"  
  
"Since I was aware that I had this problem."  
  
"How long ago was that?"  
  
"I was fifteen at the time."  
  
"Progress?"  
  
"Undetermined as of yet." Seto ran a hand through his hair. "Are you going to spar with me?"  
  
"Oh; so ya need help with trainin', but not fer the real thing. I'll sit this one out, thanks," Jounouchi rejected as he trudged towards one of the benches and sat down upon the hard wooden seat.  
  
"That's fine. I can spar with someone else."  
  
Jounouchi arched a brow. "There's nobody else here other than us."  
  
Seto raised his brows at Jounouchi before looking away. "Engage training exercise mode."  
  
As if out of thin air, a wooden training dummy materialized in front of Seto. The featureless effigy was of equal proportion to that of an adult human male.  
  
Jounouchi rose from his seat. "What the—how—where in the hell did he come from?"  
  
Seto folded his arms. "Impressed? It's been something I've been working on for my company."  
  
"A trainin' dummy that appears outta nowhere?"  
  
Seto fought the urge to grasp a wooden bench and beat Jounouchi over the head with it.  
  
"No; what I've been working on is the next graphical step for arcade and console gaming—solid holographic three-dimensional technology. It's taken me years to design it and a year to complete it, but the company thinks that I'm still designing this, when in fact it has been completed for months—I'm simply playing with it for my own amusement."  
  
Jounouchi whistled. "It looks pretty damn real, too."  
  
"I've already received offers from Sega and Namco to use the new gaming technology for their arcade hardware and Sony and Nintendo want to utilize it for future consoles. The only problem is that this kind of hardware won't be cheap to produce, therefore making distribution of games and consoles very expensive and therefore very difficult. That's the reason I've been 'delaying' progress on the technology, because I need to find a more cost-efficient way to distribute the new system. And come up with a name for it."  
  
"Dayyyyum," Jounouchi trailed. "Who knew that making game stuff was so complicated..."  
  
"It'll take some doing. I just need time to figure it out." Seto raised his arms.  
  
"Well, ya won't get much o' that if Noa kills ya first," Jounouchi mumbled.  
  
Seto's arms fell to his side. "Would you _please_ get off that subject already?"  
  
"Fine. Let's talk about the matter o' yer past."  
  
Seto looked up as his shoulders fell. "**No**. I thought we had this understanding, Jounouchi—"  
  
"Yeah; but ya know, I really don't wanna feel like that I'm kissin' a complete stranger."  
  
"You know enough about me as a person. You know my interests, my personality, and things that annoy the hell out of me."  
  
"That's only half, though. I don't know anythin' 'bout yer childhood, junior high, and what puberty was like fer ya—wait; scratch that last one. Puberty was clearly way generous fer ya."  
  
"Those are insignificant things that have no meaning to me. Can we lay this down to rest now?"  
  
"Christ; yer just so difficult. Scratch that; ya were **always** difficult, but now yer just infuriatin'."  
  
"Oh? So I don't tell you my life story, nor do I adhere to your suggestion that I not face Noa alone, and I'm infuriating because of that?"  
  
"Ya know what it is? It's yer whole lone wolf attitude!" Jounouchi exclaimed as he slammed his fist against a wall. "With you it's always 'I'll do this on my own', or 'I can take care of myself', or—and this is the best one here—'I never needed anybody's help before and I sure as hell won't need it now.' Yer mentality, 'bove all else, is what really pisses me off."  
  
Seto stomped towards Jounouchi until the two were face-to-face. "So that's what it is? You hate me based on a piece of my persona that was long- established between us even before this relationship started? Jounouchi, we argued about this once before, and at that time we were still trying to beat the hell out of each other."  
  
"Yeah, but it still bothers me to this day--maybe more than ever! Ya can't go on thinkin' that yer all that ya need! Even the strongest man needs someone to help him up every now an' then!"  
  
"**Not** me!" Seto screamed as he pointed to himself with his thumb. "You think I ever got to where I am now because I had to rely on someone? You want to know a little more about me, then here you go—the reason I learned to rely on myself was because nobody would have helped me in the first place! There you go!"  
  
Jounouchi threw his hands into the air in disbelief. "Jesus; so that's yer excuse fer that belief that yer better off alone? Because nobody seemed to wanna help ya?!"  
  
"Well, if you saw a blue-eyed kid that needed help, would you help him?"  
  
"What the fuck does yer eye colour have to do with yer attitude problem?"  
  
Seto narrowed his eyes. "I'll give you some time to let it sink in. In the meantime, I'd like to get some training done."  
  
Jounouchi clenched his fists tightly. "Christ...yer lucky that I care about ya so much, because if ya were any other guy I'd have decked ya by now. Why don't ya let _that_ sink in."  
  
Seto bit into his lower lip, his features displaying his anger.  
  
"Anyway; I'm outta here. Do what you gotta do, but if ya get wounded bad, just remember that it was 'cause of yer own conviction that nobody's gonna help ya!" The dirty blond shoved his hands into his pockets and stomped out of the room.  
  
Jounouchi closed his eyes as he slowly descended down the large stairway.  
  
"Hey, Jounouchi!"  
  
Jounouchi opened his eyes, spotting a rather concerned Mokuba standing in his path.  
  
"Oh...hey."  
  
Mokuba gestured towards the top of the stairs. "I heard something from upstairs, like arguing or something. Is everything okay?"  
  
Jounouchi bit down onto his lip and furrowed his brow; this question was entirely too familiar to him.  
  
%"Mommy? I heard something from upstairs, like you were arguin' or somethin'. Are you an' daddy fighting?"%  
  
"Jounouchi?"  
  
The boy's voice quickly snapped Jounouchi back to reality.  
  
Jounouchi gently sighed as he knelt down to look at the preteen face-to- face.  
  
"It's all right. Seto's been frustrated with school and stuff lately, and...well..." Shit, he thought. How am I gonna finish this?  
  
"Oh; Seto tends to get _really_ irate whenever something makes him frustrated," Mokuba stated with a carefree smile. "It's a good idea not to bother him, eh-heh!"  
  
That'll work. Jounouchi smiled back at Mokuba. "Yeah; I ferget that yer brother can be a bit of..."  
  
"A bastard?"  
  
"Hey; hey," Jounouchi scolded. "Just because someone says that 'bout 'im don't mean it's true. And ya shouldn't be sayin' that 'bout 'im either!"  
  
"I didn't. I was just putting the word in your mouth. But you're right. I shouldn't have said that...you promise not to tell Seto?"  
  
"I'll forget that ya even said it," Jounouchi replied with a wink. "Anyway, I gotta head out, kiddo. I have a home of my own too, ya know."  
  
"Aww," Mokuba groaned. "So we can't play Time Crisis 3 right now, huh?"  
  
"Next time," Jounouchi promised as he gathered his sneakers. "There's always next time." He glanced back at Mokuba, his eyes wandered, and he noticed Seto leaning against the banister at the top of the stairs. Jounouchi looked away.  
  
"That'll work! See ya later!" Mokuba waved. Jounouchi gave the younger Kaiba the two-fingered salute as he stepped out of the door.  
  
Mokuba brushed his nose with his thumb. "Hey Seto, do you want to—"  
  
The sound of a door slamming cut him off.

* * *

Resourceful.  
  
If one were to ask Amelda's comrades for the word that best described the assassing "resourceful" was it.  
  
In tonight's case, "Pissed off "would have been the most appropriate word.  
  
He grasped the bottle of vodka he had been nursing for the past night, pouring some of the contents into a shot glass, his eyes remaining focused on the laptop monitor.  
  
He had been trying to backtrack on his steps in his investigation on the enigma who had identified himself as Noa Kaiba.  
  
He glanced over at the notepad that rested on his desk.  
  
_NOA KAIBA = OLDER BROTHER OF SETO KAIBA  
-WANTS SETO KILLED FOR UNKNOWN REASON _

_SETO KAIBA = THE CURRENT AND IRRESPONSIBLE CEO OF KAIBA CORP _

_GOZABURO KAIBA = FORMER KAIBA CORP CEO; DECEASED. FATHER OF SETO AND NOA?  
_  
He grasped the shot glass and downed the contents, his ashen eyes remaining on the notepad.  
  
_All that work, and _this_ is all I have to show for it. There are too many pieces missing in this strange puzzle. What reason could Noa have for killing Seto? There's a missing link, I'm almost certain of it. Seto became the CEO nearly two years ago, after Gozaburo committed suicide. It was never explained. Noa must be the missing link. Or perhaps...man; there's just so much going on with this. They're a fucked up bunch, those Kaibas_.   
  
He pinched the bridge of his nose, his ashen eyes looking down at his left.  
  
He saw a sign.  
  
Actually, it was a sign in the form of a newspaper headline.  
  
Amelda leaned forward. He smiled sheepishly.  
  
_Well, hell. Newspapers. I coulda thought of that_.  
  
He cracked his knuckles, and prepared to type on the keyboard, when another realization hit him:  
  
_I can't read Japanese_.  
  
He drummed his fingers on the desk.  
  
_Son of a _**bitch**.  
  
He glanced over at the bottle of vodka.  
  
_Back to square one.  
_  
He grabbed the bottle and swirled the contents as he furrowed his brow in deep thought.  
  
_Varon'd be perfect for this job; he knows Japanese. But he's also probably going to drop-kick my ass for ditching him and Rafael for this mess_.  
  
He removed the cap.  
  
_Wait...Seto Kaiba knows Japanese. He also knows English_.  
  
He bit his lip as he tightened his grip on the bottle.  
  
_He'd also put my balls in a blender if given the chance. Hrmm. But if I told him just how important this was, then maybe, _maybe_, he would give me the time of day_.  
  
He took a momentary pull from the bottle, his forearm brushing across his lips as he set the bottle down.  
  
_Okay. Sounds like a plan. Worst that happens, I'm in the ER for several broken bones. No problem. It'll heal_.  
  
He capped the vodka.  
  
_It can wait until tomorrow. I need some friggin' sleep_.

* * *

Anzu stared outside of the window, her lips forming a tightened yet askew line.  
  
_Hrm. How appropriate._  
  
The view outside of the room was anything but sublime; somber was the more appropriate description. The bare trees swayed against the sky, which displayed various shades of gray. The mood of the outdoors matched the mood of the students indoors; most of them were either too tired to hold their usual rowdy conversations or too unmotivated to engage in a conversation, period.  
  
Plus, Chono was always an excellent deterrent against stellar moods.  
  
As the aforementioned Chono scribbled the day's history lesson onto the chalkboard, a note suddenly plopped onto Anzu's desk. This tore Anzu from her view of the gloomy weather; she looked down and glanced at the note, taking notice of the handwriting that read "Hirano". She looked over at Jounouchi, who motioned to Anzu to pass the note along. She sneered at the dirty blond and gently tapped Seto on his shoulder. He glanced over, appearing surly as ever, and looked away. Anzu shrugged, and tossed the note onto Seto's desk as inconspicuously as possible.  
  
Seto glared at the note, before he gingerly picked it up and slowly opened it. He frowned. He picked up his pen, and wrote a reply before folding the note back and handing it back to Anzu. Anzu handed the note to Miho, who then tossed the note back to Jounouchi.  
  
Jounouchi unfolded it, rolling his eyes at the response and scribbled a quick reply, and passed it back to Miho, who passed it on to Anzu, who passed it back to Seto.  
  
Seto took no hesitation to write his response, and passed the note back.  
  
Jounouchi unfolded it, his eyes reading over the contents. He wrote another reply down, and passed it back.  
  
Seto heaved a bored sigh as he marked an answer down, and sent the note back.  
  
Jounouchi sucked at his teeth as he scanned over the note and wrote onto the paper.  
  
The note came back to Seto.  
  
Seto hastily wrote one more reply and passed the note behind him to Anzu.  
  
Anzu had hesitated; she really wanted to know what they were talking about. She shook her head, knowing that it was none of her business, and motioned to pass the note—  
  
"What's that you're holding, Miss Mazaki?"  
  
All eyes were on the chestnut-haired Anzu as Miss Chono casually strode up to the girl's desk. "Miss Mazaki, is that a **note** you're holding?"  
  
Anzu frowned. "It's a cheat sheet."  
  
"Well, hand it over and we'll see." Chono held out her hand, her witchy fingers clasping open and shut. Anzu emitted a low growl as she handed the note to Chono.  
  
"I saw that you were passing notes back and forth to Mr. Hirano...I wonder what you two were discussing, hrm?" Chono smirked as she unfolded the note.  
  
_Fuck!_ Jounouchi ground his teeth together.  
  
"Oh, this is something interesting, class! Anzu said: 'Hey. Talk to me', and Seto replied 'If it's about what I think it is, just leave me alone'. And then Anzu wrote 'I'm just worried that you're going to hurt yourself. Is there something so wrong about that?' Well, well; this IS indeed interesting."  
  
The class giggled, save for Jounouchi and Anzu and Seto, whose head was lowered. An incredibly wicked smile spread upon Chono's bright crimson lips.  
  
"And it goes on; Seto answers back by saying 'What do you care anyway?', and then Anzu answers that with yet another question: 'I **do** care. What are you so scared of?' And soon after, Seto writes 'I'm not afraid of anything. Just leave me alone.' Well!" Chono tossed the note back to Anzu, whose face was red with embarrassment. "You two do know that there is a serious consequence for underage dating in this school. This note of yours just proves that there's been something going on between you two, and I'm going to have to punish you both accordingly."  
  
Jounouchi fists clenched tightly below the desk, as Anzu glared at the instructor intensely. Chono looked down upon Seto.  
  
"So, Mr. Hirano? Not so smart now once you're caught, hrmm? Do you have anything to say for yourself in regards to this matter?"  
  
Seto suddenly rose out of his chair so quickly and with such force that his chair toppled over. Chono gasped at the unexpected action and even took a step back.  
  
"Don't you dare try to put a hand to me, or you'll never set foot in another school again!" Chono threatened amidst whisperings of how Seto was going to "lay the smack-down" on her as she clutched her clipboard closer to her chest.  
  
Seto made no response, nor did he raise his head. Instead, he grabbed his briefcase and novel and stormed out of the classroom.  
  
Students and teacher alike were rendered speechless by Seto's abrupt departure.  
  
Honda leaned back. "Ya know, I never knew you had a thing for 'im, Anzu."  
  
"I don't, asshole," Anzu hissed back.  
  
"All right class; now that the drama's over, we may continue with the lesson. Anzu, be sure to see me during recess, and if you can find the drama queen, be sure to tell him to see me too."

* * *

"Last time I do **anything** for you, assclown," Anzu fumed as she stomped towards Seto's office.  
  
"Look; I figured it was gonna be a three-sentence affair at most. I forget that Seto can be such a stubborn bastard at times."  
  
"Well; I'm mad at his skinny ass too," Anzu reminded. "Nice, skinny ass, but I'm mad at him for actually passing the note back. Oh my God; do you even realize what kind of risk you set yourselves up for! And involving Miho...well; I'll have to explain everything to her too when we get back to class."  
  
"By the way, how did Chono punish ya?"  
  
"I have to write an essay about how I understand the rules about dating. I mean; what the hell?! I ought to make **you** write it."  
  
"If ya feel that's fair, fine; but if ya wanna get into her good graces, it's uh, best not to ask me."  
  
"Chono doesn't even have good graces," Anzu scoffed.  
  
"Well, jus' sayin', is all..."  
  
"Well, you two just need to work your shit out. Yesterday you two were doing the tongue tango, and now you're fighting?"  
  
Jounouchi hunched over. "Yeah. Don't ask what it's about."  
  
"I think Chono kind of divulged that problem to the whole class. What's Seto doing that has you worried that he's going to hurt himself?"  
  
Jounouchi shook his head. "I told ya not to ask 'bout it."  
  
"Fine," Anzu huffed as she turned the corner, shaking her head. "So, we're here. Let's get commencing with that—huh."  
  
Jounouchi cocked his head to the side; his features displaying confusion. "What is it?"  
  
Anzu rested her hands on her hips. "He's not here."  
  
Jounouchi joined Anzu. "Well, shit. It's kinda gloomy out. Maybe he's in the library."  
  
"You'd know."  
  
"Yeah. But maybe he don't want me talkin' to him."  
  
Anzu sighed. "Well, whatever it is that has you two like this all of a sudden, I hope you can get it worked out."  
  
Jounouchi gave Anzu a look as if she were a suspected criminal. "Was that sincerity I just heard from yer voice, Anzu?"  
  
Anzu crossed her arms over her chest. "Face it, Jounouchi; you were due to find someone. I would have thought a woman, but who says a man can't provide you with the same love—love is love, after all. See, this is one of those tests. You just have to figure out what the best thing to do is to find the right answers and pass."  
  
Jounouchi exhaled an exasperated sigh.

* * *

%_He inspected the photograph with utmost scrutiny.  
  
"Huh...what's with this kid? He looks a lot like me," a post-pubescent voice murmured as he studied the photgraph.  
  
"That 'kid' is your younger brother. I recently adopted him and his younger half-brother, who is also_ your_ younger half-brother, but the latter is not important. The kid in question is currently going through the accelerated educational course as we speak."  
_  
_A pair of lips sneered. "So? How's he handling it?"  
  
"I've had to administer some force. He seems to want trivial privileges, such as the privilege to play games with his half-brother and the privilege to sleep whenever he feels."  
  
"Huh. So how long do you think the course will take?"  
  
"It's too early to determine. Anyway, this isn't about how he's doing. This is about how he's going to _be_."  
  
The teen raised a brow. "How he's going to _be_? Forgive me, father, but I'm confused."  
_  
_A billow of smoke flowed through the elder man's lips. "This boy...he has seen and experienced much in his short lifetime. I'm sure you understand from my tone that his experiences weren't...pleasant ones."  
  
The teen nodded. "So you're saying that this could affect his outcome."  
_  
_"Not 'could'; 'would'. I have a feeling that all of the negative emotions will determine who he will become...or what."  
  
"So, do you want me to strike now?" The teen reached for his sword.  
  
The man chuckled. "Not at all. Everything is going according to plan_."%  
  
Noa's lashes fluttered open. He yawned as he rose from the comfort of his makeshift bed, better known as his couch, taking an extra moment to stretch.  
  
"Everything is going according to plan," he repeated as he looked over at the digital clock.  
  
"Well shit; it's still Wednesday. Bummer." Noa slumped into the sofa; a bored sigh elevating his bangs. He glanced over at the personal-sized refrigerator and slowly stood, walking over to the small refrigerator and opening the door.  
  
"Hrm."  
  
The refrigerator was nearly bare; its only contents was a container of leftover beef and ramen noodle soup, two cans of sake, and a package of beef curry.  
  
Noa looked at the contents in disapproval, his hand reaching for the contained when he heard a banging on the door.  
  
_Maybe it's a delivery boy who got lost and needs to dump his food on someone._  
  
He briskly jogged towards the door.  
  
_Perhaps it will be a large order._  
  
He unlocked the two chain locks and swung the door open. His eyes widened with surprise.  
  
"Oh..."

* * *

Jounouchi shut the door to his apartment and kicked off his shoes as per usual whenever he arrived home from school.  
  
"Boy! Put those sneakers where they belong! I trip over 'em again; I'm throwin' them out!"  
  
Jounouchi cracked a small smile; it was almost welcoming to hear his drunken dad as he placed his sneakers onto the sneaker rack that stood by the door.  
  
"So, how did them rounds o' poker go last night?" Jounouchi couldn't resist.  
  
"Non'a yer fuckin' business, smart-ass. Did ya remember to pay the electric bill fer this month?"  
  
"If ya mean by last month, then yeah; I did," Jounouchi answered back.  
  
"A'ight. Be sure to do th' food shoppin' this weekend, too, boy. I gotta work some extra hours fer the next week."  
  
_"Because you did _that _well on yer poker game?"_ Jounouchi wanted to say that out loud so badly, but he didn't feel like sweeping up shards of glass, either.  
  
"If ya don't need me, I'm turnin' in fer the night!" Jounouchi called as he headed for his room, promptly shutting the door behind him as soon as he entered.  
  
He tossed his jacket and briefcase to the usual corner, falling onto his bed and groaning as he did so; he sometimes forgot how uncomfortable his bed was at his apartment compared to the one he slept in at Seto's.  
  
_Seto._  
  
He frowned.  
  
_Just what the hell did he mean by that "Blue eyes" remark anyway?  
_  
He closed his eyes in deep thought.  
  
_"Blue Eyes"...why is this botherin' me anyway? Blue eyes..._his_ eyes? but he wears contacts.  
  
...doesn't he?_  
  
He sucked at his teeth as he opened his eyes.  
  
_Fuck it. That shit can wait when I feel like thinkin' 'bout it. I need to call Higashi. Need to see what's goin' down Sunday night.  
_  
Jounouchi reached into his pocket, pulling out a cellular phone with a camouflage motif on its casing. He looked at it with sheepish eyes.  
  
_Seto gave me this phone, in case he needed me or somethin'. I gotta stop thinkin' 'bout him too hard._  
  
He motioned to dial a number, when a chime began to play, indicating that it was ringing.  
  
"What the fuck?" Jounouchi stared at the device as if it were possessed.  
  
_That's Seto's ring-tone. I doubt he's callin' to apologise fer the argument...he can take it up with my voicemail.  
_  
Jounouchi rested the phone on his nightstand, and rested on his bed as he waited for the phone to stop ringing.  
  
Three rings thus far.  
  
Jounouchi thought about the homework he was assigned.  
  
Five rings.  
  
He then smacked his forehead; homework was never a priority with him.  
  
Seven rings.  
  
He wondered when Seto would give up.  
  
It stopped ringing.  
  
_Finally._ Jounouchi grasped the phone and placed his thumb over the keypad, gradually applying pressure—  
  
It began to ring again. With Seto's ringtone.  
  
"God-**damnit**!" Jounouchi shouted. He quickly clasped a hand over his mouth and hid the phone beneath a pillow, listening for his dad to start screaming at him to shut up. When he heard nothing, Jounouchi removed his hand from his mouth and the phone from beneath the pillow; it was still rining.  
  
_Fine; _fine_! I'll talk to ya, Seto. But it's gonna be short an' sweet...well; just short.  
_  
Jounouchi pressed a button on the phone as he put it to his ear. "What?!"  
  
"Well gee, sorry! If I knew you were jacking off, I'd call at a later time!" A youthful-sounding voice retorted.  
  
Jounouchi's eyes widened. "Mokuba! Holy shit...I thought ya were Seto. And where in the hell did ya learn 'bout—"  
  
"Forget about what I learned; is Seto over there?"  
  
"Ya mean he's not at home?"  
  
"He didn't come home from school! I figured maybe he was with you."  
  
Shit...that only means one thing. Jounouchi clenched his teeth. "Okay; I'm gonna to be comin' over."  
  
"You don't know where Seto is?"  
  
Yes; I do. "I sure don't, kiddo. I mean; he pro'lly had some dealin's to take care of at his company."  
  
"Ohhh...I didn't think of that. Well; hopefully he'll be back soon. Thanks for letting me know."  
  
Jounouchi sighed as he heard the #_click_# sound of Mokuba hanging his phone up. He placed his cellular phone on his chest, his amber eyes focusing on the ceiling.

* * *

"Seto...you're early." Noa briefly inspected Seto's outfit. The brunet was wearing a black long-sleeved zip-up top that gave a peek at his midriff, jet-black jeans and black leather chaps, his infamous "Bad Guy" belt, and large metal-plated cyber-style boots.  
  
"...you look like you're just arriving here from a trip to the S&M club," Noa observed.  
  
The leather-clad Seto stared at Noa with nothing less than pure hatred. "I just wanted to get this over with. Besides, an S&M club surely looks nicer than this snakepit."  
  
Noa blinked. "Uh...but it's early. Didn't we agree upon Thursday?"  
  
"Well; you'll have to forgive me if I decide to hold our meeting a day early."  
  
"Seto, Seto, Seto..." Noa motioned to lay his hand on Seto's shoulder; Seto's right hand snapped up and parried Noa's arm aside. Noa smirked.  
  
"Seto, that's cute that you want to try and bring that little CEO demeanour with you, but I'm personally not feeling it. I issued the challenge, and the date was a mutual agreement. Besides, I chose Thursday because I figured you'd need the extra day to train."  
  
"I've enough training to take you on. I'm ready whenever you are."  
  
Noa crossed his arms over his chest. "Wow; you realllly wanna get this over with...okay. So, which do you prefer to do first? Talk first, fight later or fight first, talk later? I personally recommend the former since you'll actually be ALIVE to hear what I have to say—"  
  
"Fine; we can talk. It seems to be an outstanding attribute of yours anyway," Seto snarled.  
  
"Great. There's my couch; let's sit." Noa motioned to his couch. Seto appeared repulsed by the piece of furniture.  
  
Noa rolled his eyes. "It's relatively new. Nobody's pissed in it; the worse I've ever done is drool on it; maybe."  
  
Seto arched a brow. "'maybe'?"  
  
"Definitely."  
  
"Whatever." Seto seated himself upon the armrest on the far left side of the couch. Noa approached the couch, his midnight blue eyes locked onto Seto's azure pair.  
  
"So, shall we discuss the matter that's eating at you the most, and by that I mean the matter upon who I am, who I really, really am?" Noa inquired.  
  
"Can we? I'd like to get this over with before winter vacation starts."  
  
"Great." Noa clasped his hands together. "Okay...so as you know, I share the same name that you do. And you're probably asking yourself; 'how can that be'?"  
  
"To the point, **please**."  
  
"Getting to it." Noa held up his right index finger. "The reason why we have the same name is—"  
  
By the time Seto noticed Noa thrust his right hand out towards him, he suddenly blacked out. Noa moved with the rapidness of a striking viper; his fingers pinching the nerve on Seto's neck and instantly rendering him unconscious. He fell over onto his side, laying down on the couch.  
  
Noa smiled as he rose to a standing position.  
  
"I told you that Thursday was the day that we were going to take care of all this. Honestly; I wish you would just listen to your elder brother!"

* * *

**AUTHOR'S NOTES:**  
  
That Noa is quite the SOB...which is what I'm trying to go for. A lot of the questions surrounding Noa's purpose and even his past will surface in the next installment. As you can see, there's a lot of things being set up here—Jounouchi and Seto are arguing, Anzu's involvement into the whole affair is becoming increasingly prominent, and Amelda's investigation is bound to reveal some answers regarding Noa—and perhaps Seto. And, perhaps Seto's question to Jounouchi regarding the blue-eyes kid will be solved as well—can you figure out what Seto meant?  
  
As for the interlude, you can pretty much guess that it takes place prior to Seto's meeting with Mai. It's simply there to remind the readers not only of Jounouchi's concerns, but also to set up the start of the chapter.  
  
Next installment will see Seto and Noa in an all-out, drag-out, talk it out confrontation, and perhaps the results of Amelda's investigation—and if you recall chapter 12, Seto's battle scene—well, in the next chapter, it'll start making sense.

Also, for the record, Jounouchi and Seto haven't "done the deed" yet. They're simply sleeping in the same bed for the time being.   
  
Thank you once again for your reading and reviewing! 150 reviews; thanks a lot for your continued support, y'all!  
  
(P.S. I'd like to thank Elf, who consulted me in regards to the pinch hold Noa used.)


	22. The Impending Nightmare, Act 1

__  
  
**CHAPTER 22: The Impending Nightmare, Act 1**  
  
"AaaAAGH!" Seto bolted upright once again, a cold sweat gathering at his brow.   
  
"Ah...had a nightmare, did we?"  
  
Seto raised a hand to his forehead. "Jounouchi; I told you that it's nothing worth—" He turned and realized that it was not Jounouchi he was talking to. "—fuck."   
  
Noa waved. "Did you have a pleasant sleep?"   
  
Seto scowled. "You knocked me out."   
  
Noa gave a sheepish shrug. "I pinched a nerve. I didn't hit you this time."   
  
Seto rubbed his neck. "What time is it?"   
  
Noa placed a plastic container on a makeshift table constructed of a felled file cabinet that was held up by cinderblocks. "Well; you 'fell asleep' around six last night...it's about eight in the morning now. Rice ball?" Noa held out a container of rice balls to Seto.   
  
Seto turned away, his azure eyes gazing at some shattered windows. "Just so I'm up to speed here, it **is** Thursday, and you **are** going to discuss your purpose, right?"   
  
Noa nodded impatiently. "You are far too serious, little Seto. We'll get to all that later. Right now, it's early and you must be hungry. I bought some sugared rice balls for breakfast; there's enough for you and me."  
  
"I don't think so," Seto rejected.  
  
Noa's smile faded. "They're not laced with poison. Besides, you look like you need to eat."   
  
"I'm not hungry."   
  
"Fine," Noa sighed. "I'll leave them here in case you change your mind. They're really good. If you ever need a nice rice snack, the Domino Rice Shack is an excellent place, despite its namesake."   
  
Seto stared at the rice treats before looking towards the shattered windows once more.   
  
Noa jerked a thumb over his shoulder. "I'm going into the back for a little bit and freshen up. When I get back, we can talk."

* * *

%"_"Well, if you saw a blue-eyed kid that needed help, would you help him?"_  
  
The echoing quote boggled Jounouchi's mind to the point of frustration.  
  
_Dammit...just what the hell did _that_ comment have to do with anythin'? What does he even mean by that?_ Jounouchi clenched his teeth as he jogged his way towards Kaiba's residence.   
  
_He never came home. Not after school. Not at dusk. Not even durin' the night. And he didn't say a damn thing to Mokuba. He coulda told 'im that he was spendin' the night at my place. He coulda told 'im that he had some business matters t'attend to. But instead, he says nothin'. Not a damn thing. To his own kid brother! I'm so gonna punch 'im the next time I see 'im.   
_  
He stopped and hunched over to catch his breath.   
  
If_ I ever see 'im again._  
  
He looked up and found himself staring directly at the iron gates that separated himself from the mansion. He composed himself, and rang the buzzer.   
  
There was no reply.   
  
Jounouchi scratched his chin, and rang the buzzer again.   
  
Again, there was no reply.   
  
_Shit. If he came out lookin' for 'im—_  
  
"Seto?" A voice murmured over the intercom.  
  
Jounouchi jumped a bit, taking notice of the extra buttons on the small panel. He pushed down on the green button, speaking directly into the small mesh field.   
  
"It's just me, Mokuba."   
  
There was a pause. "'Just you'? So Seto's not with you..."   
  
Jounouchi sighed; he hated that he had to deliver the bad news. "Could I come in?"  
  
"Yeah...I'll come out and unlock the gate—"  
  
"Won't be necessary," Jounouchi replied back, and without hesitation he leapt up, his hands gripping firmly onto the top of the high wall. Planting his feet firmly on its concrete surface, Jounouchi gradually hoisted himself atop the wall, and jumped down, landing in a crouched position. He quickly stood up and quickly dashed towards the front door.   
  
Jounouchi raised his hand to knock, but Mokuba--having anticipated Jounouchi's showy entrance—had already opened it.   
  
"Seto would totally kick your butt if he saw you doing that," the boy chided.   
  
"I know. But it was faster than waitin' fer that metal thing to open on up." Jounouchi removed his sneakers. "Have ya heard anythin' from yer bro between my leavin' the place and my gettin' here?"   
  
Mokuba shook his head as he shut the door.   
  
"Shit—" Jounouchi quickly clasped a hand over his mouth. "Sorry. It's just...I'm as upset about this as you are."   
  
Mokuba nodded. "Should we...should we call the police?"   
  
Jounouchi shook his head. "They'd never be able to find 'im fast enough." He paused to moisten his lips. "I've...got someone lookin' fer 'im, while I keep an eye on ya here."  
  
"I'm not a baby, you know. You can look for him too!"   
  
"What makes ya think I'm not?" Jounouchi walked towards the staircase.  
  
"Where are you going?"   
  
Jounouchi gestured at one of the doors with his thumb. "Gonna do some lookin' around."   
  
"In Seto's room? Yeah right," Mokuba snorted. "Snoopin' around in there is a definite no-no. 'Sides, he locked it."  
  
Jounouchi stopped. "Mokuba..."  
  
Mokuba approached the foot of the staircase. "Yeah?"  
  
"Outta curiosity, is there anythin' else 'bout yer brother that ya know? I mean, besides that orphan thing. How did ya guys wind up livin' in fancy digs like this?"   
  
Mokuba's faced tensed for a moment. "We were adopted. By a rich guy."   
  
"Oh? So uh, how did he buy it?"   
  
"He had a...bad heart," Mokuba murmured.  
  
"So it was a heart attack..." Jounouchi trailed.   
  
Mokuba crossed his arms across his chest. "I'm gonna go have breakfast. You uh...you want anything?"   
  
Jounouchi shrugged. "Whatever ya got, I'll pretty much eat it."   
  
Mokuba nodded. "Okay. I'll just make sure you get the same thing I'm getting!"   
  
"What does Seto usually have?"   
  
"Just a boring ol' cup of coffee. You want **that**?" Mokuba raised a puzzled brow.   
  
Jounouchi shook his head. "What? Naw, man. Just give me plenty o' whatever yer gettin'."   
  
Mokuba nodded. "Okay. It'll be ready in about fifteen minutes. I'll call you."   
  
Saying nothing further, Jounouchi shuffled over to the guest bedroom, glancing over at Seto's closed bedroom door before stepping inside the guest room.   
  
He shut the door behind him, heaving a sigh as he ran a hand through his hair. He stepped inside the bathroom, flipping on the light switch and closing the door shut.   
  
He looked over at a pair of doors, cocking his head to the side in thought.  
  
_Now, which one 'a these was the linen closet, and which lead to his room?_   
  
He pointed to the door on the left, then to the door on the right, then back at the left door again. He nodded, and reached out for the knob.   
  
_I wonder if he left it locked..._  
  
He turned the knob.   
  
_Yup. Of course he would. This is Seto, after all._  
  
He reached into his pocket, pulling out a paper clip.   
  
_And this is me._  
  
He unfolded the clip and inserted the wire inside the keyhole. He bit his lower lip as he carefully navigated the piece inside the lock. He nearly fumbled the piece, uttering a swear word as he recovered the piece and continued with his task.   
  
He then heard the sound of the lock unwinding. He grinned. He tested the doorknob to ensure that he was successful, his grin spreading wider when the door opened. He pocketed the makeshift lockpick as he shut the door.   
  
He stepped back inside the guest bedroom, glancing at his watch and gently biting on the inside of his cheek. He shoved his hands inside his pockets and made his way towards the door, when suddenly a hand covered his mouth and an arm wrapped around Jounouchi's waist, pinning his arms to his sides.   
  
Suddenly, the mystery assailant forced Jounouchi to turn around so that he could get a look at the unknown visitor. Jounouchi's eyes widened.   
  
"Amelda?!"   
  
Amelda held a finger to his lips, and nodded.   
  
"I don't know what brings ya here..." Jounouchi raised his fists. "But it's gotta be important, since you don't **seem** threatening." He lowered his fists.   
  
Amelda gently nodded, and walked over to a small table, where he had set up his lap top computer. His fingers immediately moved in a fury the second they touched the keyboard; Jounouchi looked on with curious eyes.   
  
Amelda slammed his finger onto a key, and turned the laptop around for Jounouchi to see.   
  
I need you to translate something for me.   
  
Jounouchi blinked, and pointed at his mouth.  
  
Amelda arched a brow in a coy fashion as he turned the laptop back towards himself, and typed again. He turned the laptop around to Jounouchi.   
  
All you have to do is type something on here. I have a program that translates your Japanese into English, and my English into Japanese. I don't know if it's terribly accurate, but it's the best I have to work with under the circumstances.  
  
Jounouchi nodded. He cracked his knuckles, and slowly typed a reply, his eyes on the keys and his forefingers doing most of the work. He stared at the screen as soon as he finished, glancing over at Amelda.   
  
Amelda smiled rather sheepishly as he translated Jounouchi's message.  
  
Breakfast's in a few. Can it wait until after I eat?  
  
Amelda chuckled as he casually nodded.

* * *

As Noa stepped out from a back door in his dwelling, he noticed that the plastic container was short one rice ball. He looked over at Seto and smiled with approval.   
  
"Was it good?"   
  
Seto shot an apathetic glance at the other Kaiba.   
  
"Cripes, Seto...are you just such an introvert that you won't even tell me how the food was?"   
  
"I just want answers. Has the time for you to beat around the bush finally come to a close?"   
  
Noa slumped onto the couch, seating himself next to Seto. "All right; fine. You're so impatient. I guess that's how it is with business-minded people...I guess it was for my benefit that the reins of the corporation wound up in your hands, hmm? I'd certainly hate to lose my winning personality."  
  
Seto turned his head and faced the young man.   
  
"You see, I was originally going to inherit the company. Actually, I bet I'm still in the running to do so, should something happen to you. But anyway, I guess my story starts off similarly to your own. I was adopted at a very young age, for whoever my mother was decided that she didn't want the responsibility of taking care of a child and therefore dumped me off in an orphanage. I wonder if she did the same thing to you."   
  
"Tch!" Seto scoffed.   
  
Noa blinked. "What's wrong?"   
  
"Why don't you tell me something that's more relevant to the question as to why you're after me?"   
  
"But this **is** relevant, Seto, or did I just strike a nerve in mentioning your dearly departed mother? I'm simply giving you the unabridged explanation as to why I am after you. So anyway, I wasn't adopted too long after having been sitting in that orphanage. A man had come by, looking for a kid to raise because apparently his wife or mistress or whoever was incapable of having a kid. So they adopted me; fancy that!   
  
"The man who adopted me was one Gozaburo Kaiba, the CEO of the Kaiba Financial Zaibatsu. Life in a distinguished family was pretty damn good. I had the best education, practiced sword arts like Kendo, and I took an interest in studying the various religions of the world. At the age of ten, I was considered to be something of a prodigy. Gozaburo--father—would never stop showing me off to his friends. He was always telling me about how proud he was of me."  
  
Noa suddenly appeared grim. "When I was twelve, I was out playing with some of my friends. We were careful; we were always careful. Suddenly, a speeding car came over a hill, its driver losing control and running me down. It had put me in a coma for nearly two years; the doctors were sure that I wasn't going to make it, and my adopted mother had been so stressed out by the events that she had hung herself. When I awoke, I learned that I had already been replaced—by you. Father never stopped apologizing about it. He had explained that he didn't want the public to know that his son had been put in the hospital for a prolonged period of time because it was his belief that a Kaiba was never weak."  
  
Seto scowled.   
  
Noa raised a brow. "Yes; you of all people should know and understand father's belief as well as I do. Father hated weakness of any and every kind. That's why he provided the best education for me, for mental weakness was considered unacceptable. He provided an education in the defense arts to prevent physical weakness as well, and trained me in communication skills and assertiveness so that I could become a better leader. I showed father my appreciation for providing me with the best by doing nothing but the best.   
  
"About a year after I came out of my coma, I came to visit father at his office in a private meeting. Father showed me a photo of the boy who replaced me: you. I was confused at first, because you very closely resembled me. He mentioned that we had the same mother and were therefore related by blood. "  
  
"How did he know that?" Seto growled.   
  
"He had apparently gotten ahold of our birth records," Noa answered nonchalantly. "Now, where was I?  
  
"According to father, you gave him nothing but a hard time by being rebellious and stubborn, and he had to take more drastic measures in order for you to complete your studies. In fact, you had proved to be so difficult that he suspected that you were going to try and kill him. Of course, I couldn't believe it because you looked pretty harmless based on your photographs, but he told me that you apparently, in a strange fit of jealousy, snuck into your brother's room and—"  
  
Seto whipped his right hand out so quickly that Noa didn't even flinch as Seto wrapped his fingers around the elder's throat.   
  
Noa smiled. "Oh...still not over that."   
  
"You think this is really funny," Seto seethed. "I asked you to tell me your purpose. Not to tell me how great 'father' Gozaburo was to you, nor did I ask that you remind me that I was the black sheep—you're certainly his son alright, buying into his bull."  
  
"Such bold words coming from his murderer." Noa smiled like a cat.   
  
Seto's eyes widened as he loosened his grip on Noa's throat. "What did you say?"   
  
"Father knew you were liable to murder him. That's what we were meeting about at that time. He had a feeling that you were eventually going to kill him."   
  
"I didn't kill him."   
  
"That's what the media would like for everyone to believe. But honestly, why in the world would he want to commit suicide? The economy was doing decently, for once. The company was making millions. And, he was one of the most powerful men in the country, if not in the world. So therefore, it wouldn't make sense for him to just suddenly up and throw himself from the ninety-sixth floor of his own company—he had to have been pushed, by you. After all, they found you at the scene, but you were unconscious long enough that they assumed it was suicide and not murder."   
  
Seto's fists clenched tightly to the point that they trembled heavily. "It wasn't murder."   
  
"Then defend yourself already. Tell me what **really** happened."   
  
Seto's lips moved. Noa cupped his ear and leaned closer. He frowned disapprovingly.   
  
"Now you're the one playing games here, Seto. I'm disappointed in you. I ask to hear your side of the story and instead you choose to keep that to yourself." He narrowed his eyes. "This isn't the time. If you know what really happened that day then tell me, because if I don't learn the truth—" He revealed his hilted katana—"you'll be just as dead as father."   
  
Seto shut his eyes as he bit down on his lower lip, his hands trembling. He glanced at Noa before staring down at his own hands—  
  
%_Blood began to spray forth like a gruesome shower_%  
  
"He had tried to kill me," Seto blurted out.  
  
Noa blinked as he was unsheathing his blade. "I beg your pardon?"   
  
"Gozaburo tried to have me murdered. Obviously, his tactic failed as I survived, and I came after him so I could confront him about it."  
  
"So I was right."   
  
"I had not intended to kill him! He killed himself before I could get anything out of him!" Seto asserted.   
  
"Your story doesn't even add up! Why would he have tried to kill you, especially since that honour was handed to me?"   
  
Seto stood up. "Well, what if I was indeed a threat? He may not have shown it, but perhaps Gozaburo was a paranoid man, and his paranoia became an obsession that festered in his mind like a virus to the point that he decided that he would kill me rather than wait for you to make your move."   
  
"Impossible," Noa denied. "I've **seen** your photographs from two years ago. You were as harmless as a twig, and surely incapable of being a big enough threat that father would have tried to kill you sooner than projected."   
  
"You're making the same mistake he made," Seto noted with a near-smile. "**He** also underestimated me as a harmless child, but he soon realized that it wasn't an heir he was trying to create, but something entirely dangerous and volatile—in other words, something he couldn't control. So he decided it was best to eliminate me so that I wouldn't have made that realization as to how dangerous I truly was, and it almost worked."   
  
"Seto," Noa murmured. "Just what exactly happened on that day?"   
  
"I already told you. He tried to have me killed, I tried to find out why, and he committed suicide."   
  
Noa shook his head. "You only **think** he tried to kill you because of that conditioning he was putting you through." His brows knitted together; he was becoming angry. "He said that you were a problem. Perhaps your hatred of him stemmed from the fact that he wouldn't give you what you wanted rather than what you needed. Would make sense coming from a brat like you."   
"Let's go."   
  
"What?"   
  
Seto raised arms in front of his chest. "This has become nothing more than a back-and-forth of accusations, with no end in sight. I think I've gleaned enough as to what your purpose is, so we may go ahead and fight already."   
  
"You're in a real hurry just to die," Noa noted as he rested his weapon on his shoulder. "All right. We can go ahead and do this, but we must move to a more friendly accommodation for the battle. Follow me."   
  
Seto arched a brow as he followed Noa, who approached the back door he had used earlier that day. Noa flashed a smile at Seto before unlocking the door and gently nudging it open.   
  
Noa gestured to the opened door. "After you."   
  
Seto made no hesitation to walk through, his eyes glancing down at Noa's arms to watch for any sudden movements, then up to take a look at the stage that the elder Kaiba had already set for their impeding battle.  
  
Seto's mouth nearly fell open.   
  
The stage was vast...and yet cluttered with debris. Downed pillars obstructed some of the paths, whilst others remained leaning. Shattered glass displaying a myriad of colours littered the stained crimson carpet; Seto looked up and noticed the stained glass windows. His azure eyes trailed downward and took notice of a statue of a robed feminine figure; he recognized the symbol as that of the Virgin Mary from the art history classes he took in past lessons.   
  
"...a church," Seto concluded.   
  
Noa nodded with satisfaction. "I felt that this would be the most appropriate setting for our battle. This church was abandoned before the mid-eighties, and destroyed in that earthquake six years ago."  
  
"Hn. It'll suffice," Seto muttered. "I assume there will be no games this time?"   
  
Noa shook his head. "It's just going to be a fight. Last man standing wins."   
  
Seto appeared uneasy over Noa's implication. "A fight to the death? I'm afraid that I cannot accept--**?!!**"   
  
His words were suddenly cut off by the feeling of a sharp object suddenly penetrating his right shoulder. He glanced over to see what was causing this pain. His eyes widened with shock.   
  
Noa had stabbed Seto's shoulder with this katana; he increased the pressure he placed on the weapon to drive it a little further into Seto's shoulder. Seto grimaced as he attempted to restrain himself from screaming from the pain.  
  
Noa smiled sadistically. "Fight's started..."

* * *

"Oh man! Totally hit the spot," Jounouchi declared as he put his fork down.   
  
"You really woofed those pancakes down," Mokuba noted. "And that was like, what? Three servings?"   
  
Jounouchi grinned as he wiped his hand across his mouth. "I'm gonna go wash up and call my friend and see if she found anythin'. I'll let ya know if I find anythin'. " He unseated himself and headed for the stairs.   
  
Mokuba grabbed his bookbag. "Okay. I should get going to school...'cause I'm sure Seto would be upset if I didn't go. But I'll bring my phone with me, so call me if you find him!"   
  
Jounouchi nodded. "No problem, kiddo. I'll be here."   
  
Mokuba gave a short wave as he grabbed his bookbag and left the kitchen. Jounouchi sighed, and marched up the stairs to his guest room, a regretful expression on his face.   
  
_Shit; I hate havin' to lie to the kid, but it's fer his own protection...Seto's gonna have a shitload of explainin' to do anyway, so it's his problem. Not mine.  
_  
He opened the door and approached Amelda, who was typing as furiously as he could on his laptop in an attempt communicate with Jounouchi as quickly as possible. He turned the laptop over to Jounouchi.   
  
Mokuba head out to school?  
  
Jounouchi nodded. Amelda turned the laptop back to himself, his fingers moving in a blur on the keyboard. He faced the device to Jounouchi as soon as he completed and translated the message.   
  
I found some newspaper articles about some events that had occurred at Kaiba Corp years ago. I need you to translate them for me as I suspect it will allow a better understanding of Noa's ties with Seto.  
  
Jounouchi nodded and typed up a response. Amelda struck one of the keys to translate the blond's reply.  
  
Cool. Show me what you got, and I'll tell you what they say.   
  
Amelda nodded, and spent only a minute to pull up the articles. He turned the computer over to Jounouchi, who took no hesitation to begin reading the articles. Amelda watched intently as Jounouchi typed up a reply.  
  
It doesn't say anything important. Just that the CEO's name is Gozaburo Kaiba and he announced some kind of financial plan.  
  
Amelda took the laptop and made a reply.   
  
Gozaburo was Seto's adopted father.   
  
Jounouchi nodded.   
  
"Guess you knew that, huh," Amelda muttered as he pulled up another article. He motioned for Jounouchi to read over the second piece.   
  
Jounouchi's eyes skimmed over the contents. He shook his head.   
  
"Dammit," Amelda cursed. "I have one more left..." He glanced over at Jounouchi, who appeared unsure as to what he was babbling about, and displayed the article to Jounouchi.   
  
Jounouchi's face immediately showed change as he read the headline. His eyes moved up and down as he read the article, his expression becoming tense. He hurriedly typed his translation onto the computer.   
  
Amelda translated Jounouchi's findings.   
  
That Goza-whoever guy killed himself; he threw himself out of a window.?   
  
Amelda bit his left thumbnail as he typed his reply.   
  
I already knew about Gozaburo's suicide...   
  
A rather surprised Jounouchi motioned that he wanted to say something on the laptop. Amelda handed the device back to Jounouchi. He typed something down, and handed it back to the crimson-haired assassin.   
  
It mentioned someone was found injured at the scene...a fifteen-year-old boy who was reported as to being the heir. I bet that's Seto.   
  
Amelda closed his eyes, leaning back in the chair.   
  
Why isn't Seto here anyway? Is he in school or something?  
  
Jounouchi sighed as he slowly typed on the laptop.   
  
He's fighting Noa. I didn't say anything to Mokuba because I didn't want to worry him.   
  
"Shit," Amelda cursed as he took the laptop and typed a question onto it.   
  
Where is he fighting?   
  
Jounouchi shrugged his shoulders, reached into his pocket and pulled out a slip of paper. He handed it to Amelda.   
  
Amelda looked over the coordinates as Jounouchi typed on the laptop. He tapped the redhead on his shoulder and pointed to the laptop. Amelda hit one of the keys, translating the text so he could understand what Jounouchi wanted to say.   
  
I found it when I was looking through the pockets on Seto's school uniform. You know how to get there, right? Tell me where he is, and I'll go get him.  
  
Amelda raised a brow at the dirty blond. He turned towards the laptop and typed a suggestion to Jounouchi.  
  
It's best that I go and find him then, since that's my specialty. Faster that way. Someone needs to stay and keep an eye on the kid...and perhaps dig around for some clues.  
  
Jounouchi appeared uneasy at the suggestion, but slowly nodded in agreement.   
  
Amelda nodded as he typed another message on the computer.   
  
Great. Hopefully I won't be too late. If you can find anything, and I do mean ANYTHING, that could prove Noa's involvement in all of this, hand it over to me, and I'll see what I can analyse.   
  
Amelda dashed for the window; he suddenly snapped his fingers as a sudden reminder crossed his mind. He quickly dashed to his laptop and single-handedly typed one more message:  
  
I'm leaving my laptop here. Don't break it, okay?   
  
Jounouchi sneered at Amelda, who smiled at Jounouchi as he leapt out of the window. Jounouchi glanced over at the computer, his eyebrows rising as he stared at the various icons on Amelda's desktop screen. He found deciphering the words to be something of a task and wished he had taken his English-language lessons more seriously.   
  
He had to try, though.   
  
_I bet there's somethin' that Amelda missed the first time around. Jounouchi scanned over the various icons on the desktop, looking for something that could resemble what he needed to find.   
_  
_What is it that I need to find? God; I hate English. Whoever decided that was the world's standard language should be punched in the head. Amelda said it was somethin' like a newspaper thing...an article. I think that's it. If I can find something that could resemble that word on here that would be great...all I gotta do is look for the letter 'A'._  
  
He looked over the desktop icons, his eyes scrutinizing the foreign characters that made up the English alphabet. He drummed his fingers on the table impatiently as he found nothing that remotely resembled what he was looking for.   
  
His luck finally kicked in. " Jounouchi's eyes lit up with realization. _Article! I believe I've found it. Go Katsuya, go Katsuya... _Jounouchi pointed the cursor onto the folder and clicked. A new window opened up, displaying seven file icons with numeric symbols to represent their names.   
  
_Okay...now what?_ Jounouchi sucked at his teeth as he leaned back. _Man, if I were Seto, I'd have found everythin' and still make it in time for Chono's class. I'd also be taller and be packin' a chest the size o' China and so smart I'd never have to do schoolwork. Damn; Seto's got it pretty sweet. I guess I'll just click around 'til I find somethin'.  
  
_Jounouchi moved the cursor to the first file, double-clicking and waiting a second for the image to pull up.   
  
_Seen this one before. Try the next one..._  
  
He pulled up the second article.   
  
_Seen this one, too. Gozaburo's suicide...Mokuba told me it was a heart attack. Musta been too traumatic fer 'im to tell the truth, I suppose..._  
  
Jounouchi selected the fifth icon, the image opening up almost instantaneously. Jounouchi squinted his eyes and began reading.   
  
**May 27th, 20xx...Wife of Kaiba Corporation President and CEO Gozaburo Kaiba commits suicide. Those who knew her, including her husband, stated that she had become severely depressed after their son's accident.**  
  
Jounouchi blinked. Suicide? Son's accident--Seto? Holy shit...I wonder if Amelda saved that article?  
  
He clicked on the sixth icon.   
  
**May 12th, 20xx...Son and heir of the Kaiba Corporation was rushed to the hospital today after a driver lost control of his vehicle and ran the boy down. Doctors are reporting that he is in critical condition, and that his chances of survival are very slim. The driver has been arrested and charged with hit-and-run and D.U.I. Gozaburo Kaiba, president and CEO of Kaiba Corporation, is seeking to persecute the driver to the fullest extent of the law.  
**  
"Jesus," Jounouchi whispered aloud. He continued to read. Could somethin' so traumatic aside from his adopted father's suicide be responsible for why he's so messed up?  
  
**December 19th, 20xx...Kaiba Corporation CEO and President Gozaburo Kaiba has announced that his son has made a complete and miraculous recovery. Doctors are saying that the boy is doing tremendously well and will be able to function normally prior to the accident that occurred seven months ago.**   
  
Jounouchi leaned back once again.   
  
_I know I ain't the swiftest, but somethin' 'bout that don't add up. Someone gets hit by a car, especially a fast one, they're pretty much done--especially if the kid was as fragile as Seto.  
_  
He closed his eyes.   
  
_Holy shit._  
  
They snapped open; he leaned forward.  
  
_Could that kid have been Noa? Could Gozaburo have pulled a switch; replacin' Noa with Seto? They do look rather alike; pullin' a scheme like this would be pretty easy to pull off so long as nobody notices.  
_  
He leaned forward once again.   
  
_If I had some photographs to work with, this would be a hell of a lot easier prove. I'm guessin' Gozaburo wouldn't allow pictures...guess that's why Seto acted all mysterious with his name. It _is_ a rather good idea._  
  
An image of the azure-eyed teen flashed in Jounouchi's mind.  
  
_Damn you, blue-eyes. Damn you fer facin' this alone, man. I _know_ ya know that I'm worried 'bout ya. I just wish ya knew that I...I...damn it._  
  
Jounouchi slumped.   
  
_Blue eyes._   
  
He cocked his head to the side.   
  
_Blue...eyes._  
  
His eyes narrowed.   
  
_A Japanese...with blue eyes._  
  
Jounouchi leapt up from his chair, briefly tripping and losing his footing on the rug but quickly reclaiming his balance as he rushed into the bathroom, and threw open the second "linen closet" door, revealing Seto's bedroom behind it. Jounouchi promptly stepped inside.   
  
_I saw Seto lookin' fer somethin' a few nights ago...It was in one of those drawers._  
  
He opened up the top drawer and began to rummage through the clothing contained within.   
  
_He's gonna stop at nothin' to kill me fer lookin' through his things, but I gotta know the truth of the matter. I think I may be able to find some answers in this._  
  
Jounouchi slammed the drawer shut when he had found nothing, and moved on to the middle drawer. He lifted the carefully folded pile of clothing, his expression becoming more and more annoyed as his efforts proved fruitless. He reached the bottom of the drawer, and his eyes widened with surprised.   
  
_Is that...lube and a handkerchief? And Seto gets onto _me_ for bein' horny._  
  
He shut the drawer and knelt down, opening the bottom drawer. I'm pretty sure it was in here.  
  
He paused.   
  
_Unless he moved it. Man; that would suck if he did—_  
  
He uncovered a worn-out composition book.   
  
_--well, hell. There it is._  
  
As Jounouchi pulled out the book, a small slip of paper slipped out and gently landed on Jounouchi's lap.   
  
Jounouchi appeared surprised. _Somethin' just fell outta there...looks like a note._ He sniffed the paper. _Don't look or smell old. Wonder if...naw; I shouldn't read it. None o' my business_.  
  
He opened the cover of the book, and placed the note between it and the pages. He hesitated to close the book as his eyes stared intently at the note.   
  
_Well, maybe just a peek..._  
  
Jounouchi pulled the note out of the book and single-handedly unfolded it with his left hand, spreading out the paper and exposing the text contained within.   
  
Katsuya:  
  
If you're reading this, you've been sticking your nose too far into things...but this time I won't be angry. As you may know, I am very difficult when it comes to elaborating about my past, and that is something that will remain unchanged. However, I suspected that this eventuality would be anything but, which is why you're reading this note now. This book holds some of the answers to your questions about me. Please be warned that some of the material contained within may prove to be disturbing. If you think any less of me after reading this, I will understand.   
  
_S. H.   
_  
Jounouchi slowly looked over at the small book held in his left hand. He looked up at the ceiling and sighed.

* * *

**AUTHOR'S NOTES/COMMENTS**  
  
Originally, I had planned for this chapter to contain an ending that would be rather shocking, but instead I throw out a different cliffhanger because at sixteen pages, this chapter was running on long enough and in order to put everything I needed into it, there was no way in hell I would do a rush-job, and I didn't want to make it too long as it may have been too daunting to read. Please forgive me; the major events that were supposed to happen in this chapter are instead in the next. Hence, the titling of this chapter being followed by an "Act 1" as there is still much more to be told.   
  
Much of the chapter's focus was placed on Jounouchi and his own dealings with Seto's unusual behaviour by investigating possible reasons and motivations for his sudden obsession with Noa with some unexpected help from Amelda (and his amazing language-translation program!). Jounouchi is still trying to understand Seto's last question about the blue-eyes, though in order to do so he will have to invade Seto's most personal space—a journal he used to keep. The note seems to indicate that Seto had come to the conclusion that Jounouchi would eventually find this book and read it. If you recall chapter 17, there is mention of Seto searching for a similar book...  
  
Speaking of Kaiba and his troubled family ties, Noa's purpose has been revealed: To kill Seto Kaiba for the apparent murder of Gozaburo Kaiba. Did Gozaburo really kill himself by throwing himself out of a window, or was he pushed?   
  
The next chapter will reveal the outcome between Seto and Noa's battle, and shed some more light on Jounouchi's investigation on Seto (remember, if you've been reading, some of the answers may come easier to you). Once again, I appreciate your taking the time to read this as well as your reviews. 


	23. The Impending Nightmare, Act 2

**CHAPTER 23: The Impending Nightmare, Act 2**

Seto wanted to scream from the pain that was threatening to overwhelm him.

Noa wanted him to scream; his sadistic smile was as unrelenting as his grip on his katana.

"Man; I already got a free stab off of your carelessness," Noa hissed with glee. "I could easily take your arm off. It'd be quite entertaining watching you writhe about shrieking under the excruciating pain over the loss of your arm as you bleed."

"I would be...entertained if for once...you'd shut the fuck...up..." Seto growled through his grimacing face.

Noa sneered. "This is just disappointing. I honestly believed that you'd be something of a decent fighter since you're a Kaiba, but all I have seen is you having to rely upon that blond friend of yours to help you in your fights. And now that we're alone, you let your guard down so that I could get away with taking a stab at you. I'm really going to have make you suffer for this."

"Good for you." Seto suddenly lunged forward, releasing the sword from his shoulder. As he lunged, he turned on his right foot in a counter-clockwise motion, swinging his left leg out and catching Noa in a leg sweep attack. As Noa tripped, Seto thrust his right foot back, striking Noa on the chin with the back of his heel.

The force of the blow forced Noa to recoil backwards as Seto stepped back three paces, his hand clutching his shoulder tightly.

Noa immediately slumped forward, his eyes glaring hatefully at Seto. Blood was dribbling from the corner of his lips.

Desipite his own, more serious injury, Seto raised and bent his right leg in Right Flamingo Stance, in case Noa attempted another attack.

Noa stared at Seto, until he suddenly turned his head to the side and spat. A small object bounced along the carpet, stopping beneath one of the downed pillars. It was a tooth.

Noa wiped his hand across his mouth. "You son-of-a-bitch..."

Seto smiled. "I told you to shut the fuck up."

"All right; I'll give you that one, smart-ass. Tch, you won't be walking away from this anyway," Noa promised as he sheathed his sword.

Seto slowly advanced. "Hn. If defeating you means having to crawl away, then you're right. I won't need to kill you to defeat this and make you understand, especially since there's still a lot about you I have yet to learn."

Noa smirked. "Not comfortable with the idea of someone knowing more about you than you know about them?"

"I find the idea of someone being a step ahead of **me** very unsettling."

"Then, you're really going to hate what I'm about to do next." Noa tightened his grip on the hilt of his sword, motioning as if he intended to unsheathe the blade and attack Seto with a single strike.

He feinted; instead taking a quick step forwards then stepping to the side, and made a fist with his left hand and thrust it upwards, hoping to catch Seto on his ribs with the punch. However; Seto moved just as fast as Noa and grasped Noa's wrist, interrupting the elder Kaiba's attack with a parry. As Noa tried to regain his footing from the unexpected maneuver, Seto bent his right arm, stepping forward for added momentum, and drove his elbow into Noa's side, sending him crashing against one of the pillars.

Seto winced as his left hand immediately clutched tightly onto his injured right shoulder as he could feel blood seeping from the wound. Noa, his left hand gripping his side, smiled.

"It's okay if you smack me around for a little while...Ha; won't be able to keep it up forever...if not from that condition of yours, then certainly from the blood loss."

Seto's face grimaced from both the pain and realization that Noa was right. "Then that's all the more reason this should be finished quickly."

Noa laughed as he slowly removed himself from the pillar. "Quickly?! I want to have fun here, Seto! I want to have fun enough that this will be a battle worth remembering!"

Seto appeared disgusted. "You think that murder is **fun**?!"

"This isn't a murder; it's a justifiable homicide," Noa clarified as he assumed his sword-drawing stance. "Or better yet, 'blood for blood'."

"I didn't kill your father," Seto seethed.

"He was your father too."

"No; he was just a waste of skin that I **thought** would make a decent father."

Noa relented from his stance, standing still. "So you were desperate for love, were you? Sad, pathetic little boy, mommy didn't want a blue-eyed kid so she dumped you off too?"

Seto answered with an attempted knife-hand strike to Noa's throat. Noa caught Seto's wrist.

"So, it's seems that disparaging remarks about mother pisses you off," Noa observed.

Seto swung his arm backwards, breaking free of Noa's hold and flicked his left leg up in a quick toe-kick attack, striking Noa on his chin. The successful attack also gave some distance between the brothers.

Noa had recovered quickly and closed the distance between them even more quickly, swinging his sheathed blade as if he were striking at a baseball. Seto ducked to the side, his left leg swinging upwards. His heel struck Noa's wrist, forcing the adversary to release his hold on the weapon. He then thrust his palm forward, hoping to slam it onto Noa's chest, but Noa, having apparently anticipated the follow-up attack, intercepted Seto's wrist, thus breaking off the incoming attack.

Seto struggled as he attempted to free himself; Noa frowned and turned, shoving Seto against a wall and placing as much pressure on the wounded shoulder as possible in order to ensure that Seto would not get away.

"Nn_nn_N...!" Seto bit down on his lower lip as hard as he could to prevent himself from crying out in agony from the intense pain.

"I'm being quite serious, little Seto," Noa stated sternly, "Every time I say something negative about mother, you become quite angry. So explain to me why she's so important to you, or else you bleed an agonizing death. And to show that I'm not fucking around—"

Seto's eyes widened as he felt another sudden, sharp pain. He looked down and saw that Noa had pierced his left leg with a rather large shard of the stained glass.

Noa smiled rather innocently, his hand still pinned down on Seto's shoulder. "You didn't think that I'd let you bleed to death from just one wound, did you? The more you refuse the more holes I'm going to stick into you." He leaned closer, his voice hushed to a whisper. "I may just go and scar that pretty face next—or better yet, pluck out one of those pretty blue eyes of yours. What do you think?"

Seto looked away as Noa's clamorous laughter rang in his ears.

****

Although it happened years ago, I thought I'd talk about my mother. 

Most anybody would have considered her to be a beautiful woman, though she had features that would not have been accepted amongst her own people. She had deep sienna eyes, but her hair was white. It was stark white, long and straight. She often let it remain in the way of her face, as I liked to play with it whenever she held me.

I know little of her own past, though I possess her diary. I have not read it as it is currently in a secret place that HE doesn't know about. I hope that I will get a chance to someday soon so that maybe I could understand...

What was she like? Looking from her photos, I have the impression that in her younger years she was a rather solitary woman, and not necessarily by choice. Despite this, however, she was a very kind and gentle woman who cared deeply for me. I can't really recall a time that I angered or stressed her; either because I was that well-behaved or she coddled me. Perhaps it was both. 

She was always smiling whenever she looked at me. Her smile was always full of energy and promise of something great to come. She often spent her time reading her novels to me and if I fell asleep she would let me sleep on her lap—she nicknamed me "Hira-Kitty" because I was as playful and adorable as a kitten, and slept like one too (these were her own words). I don't know why I included that; it just happened to come to mind. 

Anyway, Mother was not the healthiest woman in the world...she often appeared sickly and weary, though she did her best to gather enough strength to take care of me. I wish I could have been able to tell her that it wasn't necessary and that she could rest and take it easy. She wouldn't have listened anyway I think; she would have made sure that my well-being was top priority. Unfortunately, it caught up to her. 

It all started when she got knocked up by this lowlife she had been seeing, who only seemed interested in her because he could exploit her kindness to the fullest extent—I bet he harboured a sort of wariness over her physical appearance. I hated him, and I began to hate mother for allowing herself to be treated this way by him. I wish I could have told her that I loved her enough that she didn't need someone like him. Anyway, she had been knocked up, and they decided to marry but not until their child was born. 

However; the birthing process was too hard on her body, and about four days after my half-brother was born, she died. I was there when she died; the charismatic vigour that she often carried with her seemed to have dissipated, but she was as gentle as ever. I was the last person she ever saw, and when she died, I refused to leave her side until one of the nurses came and took me out of the room. The last I saw was that of the doctor pulling the sheet over her face. 

It's been nine years since her death, and I'm still angry about it. I'm angry that she had to go and die like that. Call me selfish, or even childish and naïve in that respect, but I don't think I can ever forgive mother for dying; for bestowing all of that kindness upon me only to leave me in a hateful and inconsiderate world that would betray that love she showed me. I think that last one is the biggest reason why I may never forgive her, because she was indirectly responsible for what has happened to me. 

Jounouchi looked up, his head resting against a wall.

..._he saw her die._

He closed his eyes as the thought settled in.

_She sounded like a nice an' kind lady...God; I can't imagine what it must be like to lose someone that loved ya like ya were the most important thing in the world. Especially when ya see it happen._

He slowly opened his eyes, the written words in his view.

_No wonder he's so...fucked up. His mother died in front o' him, his father was killed_ and _his adopted father_ _killed himself... an' what did Mokuba also say?_ _Somethin' like how his step-father's relatives wanted to dump 'im off in an orphanage..._

Jounouchi leaned his head back against the wall as he reached for his pack of cigarettes.

_An orphaned little outcast, an' he wasn't even ten...shit; this is startin' to make some sense, blue-eyes...is that why ya hate yer past so much? Perhaps there's more t'read..._

****

Seto's eyes were fixed onto the floor; he was in disbelief over what he was forced to explain. "Are you satisfied now that you know?"

Noa shook his head. "How could she have been so nice to you, but left me to be cared for by someone else? Now I'm even angrier than before."

Seto raised his head. "So you're going to dig her up and stab at her remains until you feel better?"

Noa narrowed his eyes. "Very funny...I think I'll just take it out on her favourite little boy...that means you, little Seto."

"You were going to try to kill me regardless."

Noa shook his head. "Nope. I'm not going to try this time. I'm going to just do it."

Noa jerked Seto by his wrist, forcing the brunet to stumble towards the side, his back facing Noa. Noa kicked up his sword, catching the sheathed weapon in mid-air; his grip tightly held around the sword's hilt--

--Seto suddenly felt something slicing across his back; he let out a shuddered gasp as he fell forward against another pillar left-shoulder first. His right hand reached around to feel for the source of his newfound pain. He felt a wave of nausea threatening to overwhelm him as his fingers came into contact with a familiar feeling of a warm and rather sticky liquid.

Noa smirked. "First your shoulder so that you can't properly defend yourself, then your leg so that you can't run away so swiftly...and now your back so that you will weaken at an accelerated rate. This certainly is working out very well for me."

Seto had said nothing as he stared at the blood on his hand.

Noa sheathed his sword as he approached Seto. "This outcome was so easy to forecast...my only regret is that you weren't a more competent fighter. But hey; I'm fulfilling father's last request, so you'll have to forgive me if I'm not regretful for very long."

Seto glared over at Noa. "Well; aren't you just so fucking special because you're making your father happy? What if it were reversed? What if he asked me to kill you?"

Noa scoffed, his smile still intact. "You...kill me?" He stared at Seto in a dumbfounded manner, his lower lip trembling.

Seto smirked as Noa began to chuckle.

Suddenly, Noa burst out into a fit of laughter and Seto joined in almost immediately after. Their laughter resonated off of the walls, though Seto's laughter drowned out Noa's own.

Noa suddenly cut his laughter off with a frown. "Please. Knowing you, you'd never want to imagine yourself as being in good graces with father. And even if he chose you over me...I'm more than a match for you."

Seto continued to laugh.

Noa narrowed his eyes. "Are you listening, little Seto? You were a failure from the start! Father probably only kept you around because he wanted to show me what would happen I became as disobedient and disrespectful and ungrateful like you!"

Seto's laughter began to dwindle.

Noa arched a brow. "Are you finally done with your little giggle-fest? I can't believe you can laugh for that long without pausing for air."

Seto finally stopped. "It's a talent."

Noa smirked. "Apparently."

Seto smiled. He suddenly thrust his head forward, knocking his forehead directly onto Noa's own forehead. The impact of the attack surprised Noa and forced him to reel back to the point that the he nearly fell backwards.

"Ow! What the hell?!" Noa cried as he grabbed at his forehead and spread his feet apart in an effort to maintain his balance. "Oh, that just tears it—!"

Noa removed his hand, immediately noticing that Seto was no longer standing in front of him. He exhaled an exasperated sigh.

"Okay, this isn't cute anymore. I'm not in the mood for a game of hide-and-seek! You're dishonouring yourself by playing the coward's card!" Noa called as he continued to massage his aching forehead. "Shit, that **really **hurts! Where did you learn such a ruffian attack like that?"

Seto could hear Noa's rants from the pillar that he took refuge behind as Noa reeled from the pain of the surprise attack. He smirked briefly before hastily wincing and grabbing his forehead.

_Ow! **Ow**! God_-**damn**! _How the hell does Jounouchi pull a headbutt without giving himself a migraine...maybe that's why he's a little slow on the uptake. Shit; I'm surprised I didn't knock myself unconscious._

Seto felt his forehead. _Feels a little warm..._

Seto shifted so he could remove the pressure placed on his wounded back, and replace it instead on his left shoulder.

_Damn...that wound on my back is painful enough to slow me down badly...if I hadn't dodged at the last second, Noa would have cut me into two...he probably expected me to dodge the attack enough so that he could torture me some more. _

"Seto! I'm going to find you anyway, so why don't you just come out and face your demise already?"

Seto shut his eyes. _I can't keep going with these injuries. If I can just rest for five minutes, maybe...just maybe I can muster up enough strength for an effective counter-attack that will weaken Noa down enough for me to defeat him. _

"Maybe I'll just cut down all these pillars until I see your head rolling by my feet, huh? How about **that**?"

_I could only be so fortunate._

****

I discussed my mother. Perhaps I should discuss my father. 

..........

He's a corpse. 

He was apparently killed in some sort of accident long before I was born. I'm not sure how my mother was able to have me by him if he died as early as mother claimed; He apparently left a little of himself behind in some bank and my mother simply used the artificial insemination method. At least, this is what she told me. I'm not sure what to believe. 

Jounouchi blinked as he glanced over at the pages, a disappointed frown on his features when he found that was all there was to be written about his father.

_Well, that told me absolutely nothin'. _

Jounouchi flipped the pages of the book, his eyes staring at the blurred texts.

_Maybe if I find somethin' in the section about his stay at the orphanage, it might tell me somethin'—wait, what was_ that_?_

Jounouchi hurriedly flipped backwards through the book, his eyes searching for the words that had stood out to him, that made him curious enough to investigate it.

_There was somethin' there in real big letters...I bet that's real important..._

He found it.

NIGHTMARE. 

"'Nightmare'," Jounouchi repeated aloud. He glanced over at Seto's nightstand, taking notice of the empty glass that rested by it.

_I am kinda thirsty_. Jounouchi put the book down and sprung up, jogging towards the bedside furniture. As he reached for the glass, he noticed a small amber bottle, the label bearing Seto's name.

%"Hey blue-eyes; what's with the bottle?"

Seto glanced over at Jounouchi as he popped the small pill into his mouth. "It's a medication I have to take."

"**You**? On a med? Get outta here."

"Jounouchi, are you familiar with my condition?"

Jounouchi stared for a moment. "Yer condit—oh, right. That helps fight that?"

"Yes." Seto made a bitter face. "I hate taking it, though. You're not telling anyone about it, either. Enough people think I'm weird as it is."

"Relax, blue-eyes. Ya got nothin' to worry about."%

_I wonder if he knows that it's empty_, Jounouchi wondered in his thoughts as he placed the bottle back onto the table. He grabbed the glass.

_I doubt that he'd care if I drank outta this glass anyway. _Jounouchi turned the faucet in a counter-clockwise motion, and a stream of cold water rushed into the glass. As the water quickly reached the rim, Jounouchi reached over to the faucet and turned it in the opposite direction, shutting the water off.

He quickly returned to his seat by Seto's dresser, sipping from the glass before setting it down on a nearby rug and picking up the book to resume reading the chapter that piqued his curiosity.

NIGHTMARE

The following that you are about to read won't be pretty. In fact, it's very gruesome.

I had decided not to take my medication today...

Seto clutched at his head.

_[You remember that nightmare, don't you...]_

"Don't..." Seto whispered through ragged breaths as he carefully glanced over the pillar.

_[...it's going to happen again.]_

Seto shook his head. "No it won't."

[_You're getting a fever, aren't you?]_

Seto moved his hand downwards and briefly felt his forehead; it had become hotter since he had felt it moments ago; he also noticed that he was starting to sweat.

_[You know what happens next. And there's nothing that you can do about it.]_

"Shut up; you're wrong..."

_[I don't want this to happen, either. But face it...]_

"Don't say it...

_[You're going to kill again.]_

Seto shook his head as if doing it often enough would make the problem disappear. However; the more threatening problem had remained and he made sure to remind Seto that.

Noa sliced at the pillar, taking off the top of the pillar. He smiled maliciously as he saw Seto crouching behind the pillar, having ducked from his attack.

"At last I found you. Actually, it wasn't all that hard—you're bleeding. Badly, I might add; frankly I'm surprised you're still conscious. I almost missed the trail that you left as you scrambled to your hiding place ..." Noa rested the tip of his blade beneath Seto's chin, forcing the brunet to look him in his midnight blue eyes.

"It's over, Seto. I'll allow you a quick, clean kill. I'll even deliver you to your own home where they can find your dead body, and give you a nice little funeral. How does that sound?"

Seto forced himself to look away, his breath becoming heavier, and his vision becoming blurry.

[_Seto..._.]

The pace of his breath increased.

[_Seto, you can't let it end here_.]

His hands trembled violently.

[_Seto!_ ]

Noa raised his katana high over his head. "Quiet, huh? That makes it easier on me. It's too bad we didn't know each other for very long...but them's the breaks, little Seto. Besides, you proved yourself to be rather weak, and, well; in our family there's no exceptions, not even mercy."

Seto closed his eyes tightly as Noa swung the blade downwards.

[_No!!!_ ]

Seto's eyes shot open, but instead of the intense azure eyes that he normally possessed, they appeared to be an odd, inhuman gold colour.

As Noa noticed the abnormal change in Seto's eyes, Seto caught the katana's blade between his hands and gripped the weapon tightly, blood trickling from between his fingers as he tightly gripped the blade's edge. Seto then pushed the katana forward, its hilt smacking Noa against his chin.

"Impossible!" Noa cried through clenched teeth as he reeled back from the blow. "Now you're really going to—!?"

Noa stood frozen in the midst of his movement, his eyes staring straight forward.

"Oh shit..." Noa gasped as he tasted the iron tinge of blood on his tongue.

****

The book fell from Jounouchi's hands.

He remained seated on the floor as his arms fell to his sides. A distressed expression was frozen onto his features.

_He...he had...Oh my God...Seto._

Jounouchi's eyes slowly rolled downwards, focusing on the fallen book.

_Ya gotta..._You have _to come home. _Please _come home. _

Noa was unable to express his shock and amazement into words.

Until thirty-four seconds ago, he had control of the entire battle. He had Seto right where he wanted, his sword raised and ready to deal the final blow--

--but then he gazed into those cursed golden eyes, and suddenly found himself literally on the receiving end of his own blade—his "Holy" blade--having been turned Judas by the devil's hands--was driven through his abdomen.

He had to speak. He had to try, anyway.

"S...Set..."

Seto continued to glare at Noa, his grip on the blade unrelenting.

"Im...Impossible...what has..." Noa sputtered; blood began to trickle down the corners of his lips. "What has...happened to you...?"

Seto continued to stare with an intensity Noa had never witnessed before. The boy's eyes were clearly inhuman; even his hair appeared a trifle wilder. Noa could swear that he could see streaks of green among Seto's sienna tresses.

Seto finally retracted the blade from Noa's abdomen. Noa shuddered as he dropped onto his knees, his midnight blue eyes gazing at Seto's golden pair before he fell over face-first onto the floor.

Seto dropped the blade and turned around, limping towards a leaning pillar. He blinked rapidly as his eyes faded back to its true azure colour.

"Kat...su..." He crashed onto the ground, his hand sliding down the pillar, leaving behind a crimson trail.

**AUTHOR'S NOTES**

Seto's got a dark secret, a secret Jounouchi now knows. It seems there's something wrong with Seto, something that has caused him to kill Noa. The truth behind this strangeness with Seto will be explained, but I will tell you this out of the gate: **Seto does not have a Yami**. Remember, in order for that to be possible, there'd have to be Millennium Items, but in Contrast there is no such thing. So this is something entirely different (hint: think King of Fighters.). The truth behind his "nightmare" will also be revealed very soon.

Regarding Seto's entry about his mother: The nickname that his mother gave him as a toddler would best be read as "HiraNeko". However, since it is assumed that the characters in this story are already speaking Japanese (hence why Amelda speaks in brackets whenever he's talking as he speaks English), it would have been redundant to say it that way, hence "Hira-Kitty". I know; the former sounds better, but I have to stick to my guns on this one.

Also regarding: Noa's line to Seto, "Are you finally done with your little giggle-fest? I can't believe you can laugh for that long without pausing for air." Is a bit of an inside joke, referring to how long Kaiba tends to laugh in the Japanese language version of the Yu-Gi-Oh!: Duel Monsters anime. Of course, I love Tsuda Kenjirou, and I think he is just an excellent voice for Kaiba—that laugh just gets me in a good way.

And finally, to a reviewer by the name of BlueAngel0104: Thank you so much for reading my fan fiction. I try to update this as frequently as possible since as you said, there are people that want to see this update as often as possible. I'm very glad that you enjoy my characterizations of Jounouchi and Kaiba—I try to take their more "human" traits (though Kaiba's could be something of a stretch, eh?) and build their personas from that. It makes them easier to write if I try to see them as real people. I'm glad you find my fight scenes inspiring! It gets harder and harder for me to write them as the series goes on as I have to come up with new strategies each time...I'm sure you can relate.

Once again, thank you for taking the time to read, and to those who leave a review, thank you very much as well—I enjoy reading your thoughts on the latest episodes. Please stick around, as there's going to be much in the way of drama to come...


	24. Inner Child

%"Over here!"

The child looked over to where his friends were gathered and smiled, waving back at them. They all sat upon various limbs of a large tree that they had climbed, waving and motioning for the boy to join them.

"Hey! Why don't you come and join us?" one of the children called.

The boy looked over at his clothing. "But I'll get dirty! I'll get in trouble if that happens!"

"You can always take a bath, and clothes can be cleaned" another child reminded. "Just come on!"

The child hesitated to consider the options and possible consequences. He made his decision with a nod and a smile.

"Okay. I'm coming over!" He called. The other children cheered excitedly as the boy ventured out towards the street, for the tree-and his friends-awaited him there. He stepped onto the asphalt, his eyes looking straight ahead and his heart beating wildly in anticipation of the new adventure that awaited him.

He then glanced over to his left and noticed a vehicle approaching him at an impossible speed—%

**Chapter 24: The Inner Child**

There were flashes of black; between these flashes was what appeared to be a structure.

He then realized he was regaining consciousness. His eyelids fluttered one more time, allowing more exposure for the midnight blue eyes they previously concealed.

Noa sat up; his head falling forward as he did so. He was greeted by the sight of a deep wound on his abdomen. He raised a puzzled brow.

_Why... aren't I dead?_ Noa thought as he felt for the exit wound on his back. _He stabbed me right through here. There's no bleeding. It hurts like hell, but there's no bleeding whatsoever. There should have been bleeding. And the exit wound...where is it?_

He looked over and noticed Seto's unconscious form. He frowned as he briefly recalled the golden eyes that lead to his defeat.

_What the hell was that anyway? It was as if I was staring into the eyes of a devil._

He shut his eyes.

_This doesn't make any sense. He displays a strange side and then strikes me with the intention to kill me. How did this happen to him, and how was _**I**_ able to suvive this in the first place?_

He looked over at his katana, which lay by Seto's side.

_It doesn't really matter to me what Seto is, other than dead. He's unconscious...must have conked out after he 'killed' me. Guess I was meant to win this after all. _

As he reached for his katana, he could feel the excruciating pain of his wound; his face contorted due to the intensity and his free hand clutched around his abdomen as his right hand shakily gripped the hilt of the sword. He slowly rose to his feet, stumbling and having to lean against a pillar for support in order to remain standing. He grimaced as he slowly approached Seto, his katana dragging behind him as he gradually stepped closer.

"Now I know for a fact that you're a murderer," Noa stated bluntly as he tried to stand straight. "Too bad for you that this place only has one floor." He brought the katana around to the front. "Right, then. Time to die."

He raised the blade, motioning for a stabbing strike aimed at Seto's heart, when he felt a sudden blow strike him on the back of his neck.

"Uh...no. "

Noa's eyes shot wide as he fell over from the blow. As soon as he crashed onto the ground, he made no hesitation to look over his shoulder to identify the voice.

His jaw fell open.

Amelda waved "hello" with his free hand. "Hey. I saw that you had that sharp and pointy sword there and that you wanted to use it to cut up little Seto Kaiba over there, but...I just can't let you do that. You see, Seto still has a purpose to serve. In fact, he has a lot of purpose to serve, and killing him isn't exactly what I want to happen here. So, I've had to neutralize you as a result, since I know talking will be rather futile. "

Noa grimaced. "You bastard...sneaking up like that and waiting until I was vulnerable...you certainly are the definition of a coward."

"Say what?" Amelda blinked. "I just got here. By the way, thanks for broadcasting to me that you're not in the best condition. My task will undoubtedly be a cinch." He smiled.

Noa sneered. "You really think it's going to be that easy?"

Amelda shook his head. "It's going to be stupidly easy. See, I'm going to walk up to Seto, like so..." He put action to his words, slowly stepping over Noa to reach Seto.

Noa tightened his grip on his katana. "You even get any closer, and I'll kill you."

Amelda cocked his head to the side, arching a sarcastic brow. "From there? Sure you are."

Before Noa could make good with his threat, Amelda took the butt of his gun and slammed it onto the back of Noa's head, instantly rendering him unconscious. Amelda whistled as he holstered the gun inside his coat.

Amelda smirked as he walked back towards Seto. "I told him it would be stupidly easy, didn't I?" He knelt down to inspect the unconscious youth. "As for you, you have some pretty nasty-looking injuries; your back and your shoulder most noticeably. Unfortunately, I don't have enough materials to fix this at the moment, but I can bandage them up, and when we get back to your place I can properly treat your injuries. The nutty things is, if you knew that I did this you'd likely put my head through a wall."

* * *

Vast. 

That was the first word that came to Seto's mind when he gazed around at his strange new surroundings the instant he came to. There was a grassy field that appeared to reach for miles and miles; there was a string of trees in the distance and Mount Fuji overlooked the surroundings. The sky was clear and the most intense shade of blue Seto has ever seen. He blinked as he looked up at the tree that he was resting against, and saw what appeared to be a building at the bottom of a grassy hill. He narrowed his eyes; that building was the orphanage.

"The orphanage was closer to Kyoto; Fuji wasn't anywhere in sight of that," Seto muttered as he shook his head.

[_Hey; you made this place, so it's your fault_.]

Seto removed his hand from his face. "What? Who said that?"

[_You did_.]

"No I didn't."

[_But it was you. Which is me_.]

Seto raised a perplexed brow as a small figure peered from the other side of the tree. The boy had large azure eyes that shone with his youthful vigor, short yet slightly mussed sienna hair, and slightly pale skin. He wore a long sleeved yellow button-up shirt with a cobalt vest over it, and a pair of dark umber shorts.

"Hn. You're just a memory," Seto dismissed as he looked away.

[_I'm much more important than that_,] the boy replied, though his lips made no movement.

"So who are you then, if you're not a memory that should have stayed in the backburner?" Seto demanded, making no effort to hide his annoyance.

The youth smiled; his large blue eyes sparkling. [_I told you; I'm you. I'm your inner child_!]

Seto groaned as he rolled his eyes. "Talk about things being taken too literally."

[_Something happened to you, so now you're here_.]

"Something happened?" Seto shut his eyes. [_That's right. I was fighting Noa, and I was badly hurt in the process. Obviously, I'm not dead if I still have a consciousness_.]

[_Yes-and you're lucky. He's really become a threat to you-both physically and mentally_,] the Inner Child "replied".

"Mentally? How so?" Seto demanded, disregarding the fact that his Inner Child was able to read his thoughts.

[_It happened again_,] the Inner Child stated bluntly as he began to peel an orange.

"'It'? What is 'it'?"

[_You mean you don't remember what just happened nearly an hour ago_?]

"All I remember was that I was fighting with Noa...he had me cornered, I took his sword..." Seto stopped.

[_You took his sword_...]

Seto sighed calmly. "I took his sword, and...and...I took it, and..." He blinked rapidly. "Oh no..."

[_As I warned you, it was going to happen again_.]

"That's impossible," Seto denied. "There was no way that could have happened again. I've been better able to control myself since that incident occurred."

[_It's not a matter of control_...]

"I don't understand," Seto trailed.

[_Neither do I_.]

Seto lowered his head. "I killed him."

[_Why did this have to happen again_?]

Seto stared at his hands. "I didn't know then; I don't know now," he whispered.

[_Could it happen again_?]

Seto looked up. "It could. Depends, I suppose."

[_On what_?]

Seto smiled; there was a hint of madness behind it. "On the off-chance that Noa actually survived my attack."

* * *

Jounouchi leaned against the railing of the balcony, a cigarette dangling between his rather shaky fingertips. His amber eyes stared straight ahead at the approaching storm clouds off in the distance. 

He pulled the cigarette up to his lips.

_blood began to spray forth like a gruesome shower from his throat_

Jounouchi smacked his forehead. _I gotta stop thinkin' so much about that, at least until Seto gets back so I can try an' talk to 'im about it. Shit, maybe I shouldn't bring it up so soon...especially if he doesn't even understand it. But I wanna help him. I just don't know how. Fuck; I hate it. He's been gone fer about a day now...I've sat here, waitin' on 'im, and nothin's happened. _

He heard a door slam, and glanced at his digital wristwatch, smiling rather sheepishly. He snuffed his cigarette out on the railing and jogged out of the guest room and down the stairs to greet Mokuba.

"Look who's home," Jounouchi welcomed, gesturing with a two-fingered salute.

Mokuba glanced at Jounouchi as he removed his sneakers. "Has he...?"

Jounouchi shook his head. "Sorry, kiddo. He hasn't come back here, and I haven't heard back from my friend, either."

Mokuba sighed. "So, nothing's changed."

Jounouchi shut his eyes. "I hate it as much as ya do, believe me. If he left a note, or somethin'...it'd be easier, ya know?"

Mokuba nodded.

Jounouchi's features softened significantly. "Hey..." He bent down on one knee, resting a hand on the youth's shoulder and looking him right in his cinnamon eyes. "Yer brother's gonna be all right. Either we'll find 'im, or he'll come back."

Mokuba looked into Jounouchi's eyes. "Do you know what's even going on with him?"

Jounouchi heaved a sigh as he looked away for a moment. "All I know is that Seto's been under some stress lately. Really, I don't know much else, but I think maybe he just needed some time to himself."

"That's the problem," Mokuba spat as he batted Jounouchi's hand away and turned towards the den. "He's always insisting that he needs to be alone. It pisses me off."

Jounouchi rose to his feet. "Aw come on, kiddo..."

"Sometimes I wish we could have had a normal life like everyone else. Maybe then I'd have a normal brother, too." Mokuba shut the door behind him.

Jounouchi scratched the back of his head as he slowly strolled towards the stairs.

'_Normal', he says...he'd be surprised as to how many people actually long for somethin' like that. Then again, these days, broken homes _are_ normal. Damn; who even knows what the right meanin' of 'normal' is anymore anyway? _

He stepped inside the guest bedroom, instantly snatching up his package of Red Apple brand cigarettes.

_Man; Mokuba...if ya knew what happened that made Seto such a loner, ya'd understand_...

_I didn't want Mokuba knowing what had happened that day. I have to get out. I hate that I have to do this, but I've already endangered him once before, and what had happened confirms everything. I don't even have a complete understanding as to what I am anymore. I think it will be for the best, especially since he avoids me anyway. I'm going now, and I won't look back— _

There was a sudden clattering sound, derailing Jounouchi's current train of thought.

Jounouchi lowered his lighter as he looked around to pinpoint the source of the noise.

There was another _clatter_.

Jounouchi whirled his body around so as he could see where exactly the noise originated from—the bathroom. He slowly approached the source, taking caution with his steps and silently hoping that the wooden floor wouldn't make any noises under the pressure.

He slowly curled his hand around the doorknob, and slowly turned it in a clockwise motion. He then threw the door open, the first thing greeting him being the barrel of a handgun.

"Oh fuck--!" Jounouchi exclaimed as he spun away from the doorway.

"Psst!"

Jounouchi slowly peeked into the bathroom, his guard lowering the instant he recognized the intruder as Amelda.

Amelda sighed, smiling modestly as he holstered his firearm.

Jounouchi sneered as he gave Amelda the finger. "Kaiba?"

Amelda nodded, and gestured towards the aforementioned Seto's room by cocking his head towards the secret door to the bedroom.

Jounouchi stepped inside; instantly his eyes widened as his jaw fell open.

"Holy shit!" Jounouchi exclaimed as he laid eyes on Seto's unconscious and injured form. The brunet lay on his bed, his torso, hand, and leg wrapped up in white bandages; bruises marred certain portions of his body. His eyes were shut in a peaceful slumber.

"Shh! Idiot! You want Mokuba to find this out and maybe I should translate in order for you to understand what I'm saying, because you don't speak English ," Amelda mused as he grabbed his laptop.

Jounouchi leaned forward as Amelda's fingers furiously typed across the keyboard, hitting the "Enter" key to activate its translation feature.

Shh! Idiot! Mokuba might hear us if we're being too loud. 

Jounouchi casually, albeit slowly, typed his reply.

Uh, dude...I know what "idiot" is in English.

Amelda appeared comically surprised as he stared at the reply for a few moments before typing one of his own:

I thought you didn't know any. 

Jounouchi shrugged his shoulders. He leaned over, and slowly typed up his answer.

I just know the insults and swears .

Amelda shot a glare at Jounouchi as his fingers moved around the keys on the keyboard; the dirty blond smiled sheepishly.

Seto's doing rather badly. He's been wounded on his right shoulder, his hands are cut up, there's a stab wound on his leg, and his back is cut, though it's nothing too serious. He's got a fever, which is what I'm really worried about. The good news is, I managed to find some medication that will keep his temperature stabilized. For now, all we can really do is wait for him to wake up. I was in the bathroom just now because I was looking for some painkillers. 

Jounouchi shot a glare at Amelda, his fingers again slowly tapping onto the keys to form a response.

I'm glad ya found him, and that he's alive. What did you find when you got there?

Amelda's expression appeared surprisingly stern as he typed his reply.

I saw Noa there, ready to finish Seto off. Seto was unconscious, and Noa appeared as though he were injured. I managed to get Seto out of there, obviously, but I only knocked Noa out as I didn't have much time—I fear of what he may do when he regains consciousness. 

Jounouchi cracked his knuckles.

Amelda smirked. For now, let me worry about Seto. Mokuba is still indoors, right? Keep him company, lest he suspect that something's wrong, and he comes up here.

Jounouchi frowned as he exhaled an exasperated sigh and leaned over to tap on the keyboard one last time.

I have no problem with watchin' the kid. I'll sneak up here a little later to check on him. 

Amelda gestured by holding up his right thumb as Jounouchi waved, paused to take one more look at Seto, and closed the door behind him. Amelda exhaled deeply as he rose from his chair and locked the door. He then turned around as sat down in the chair to continue with his own research, pausing momentarily to gaze over at Seto.

_It's like he's not in any discomfort at all. _

He then turned around and instantly he froze; there was another person sitting upon the windowsill.

Amelda's eyes bulged with surprise. "Noa?!"

* * *

Jounouchi slowly opened the door of the den just enough for him to peek inside to see what Mokuba was doing. He found that the youth was still inside since his little outburst. He was currently immersed in a videogame. 

He gently opened the door and stepped inside.

"Hey...Mokuba?"

Mokuba tapped a button, and glanced over at Jounouchi. "Oh; hey. Wanna watch me play?"

Jounouchi smiled warmly. _At least he's not so upset anymore_. "Sure thing, kiddo. What're ya playin'?"

"Metal Gear Solid: The Twin Snakes," Mokuba answered as Jounouchi slumped onto the couch.

"Oh yeah?" Jounouchi replied. "Is it any good?"

Mokuba nodded. "Yeah; I don't like that they changed the music, though. If Seto were here, you should ask him to play—he's amazing at this game. You know, Solid Snake kinda reminds me of Seto. Don't ask me why, but they're kinda alike in some ways, I guess."

"Well, seein' as how I'm not so familiar, maybe ya could explain it to ol' Katsuya."

"Okay...well, Solid Snake is always serious about his work—ya know, tryin' to do it in the best way possible, and he's often alone, too. I dunno, I guess that's kinda it and maybe they're not good reasons, but Snake reminds me of Seto sometimes."

Jounouchi whistled. "I'll take yer word for it."

"You should see one of the bad guys. His name's Liquid Snake and he's...oh...it's a spoiler."

"So? I probably will leave the game playin' to the Kaiba pros," Jounouchi shrugged with a sheepish grin.

"Oh, okay. Well, anyway, Liquid Snake is supposedly Solid Snake's brother, but he's really a clone or something. He looks a lot like him in some aspects too, but acts differently and stuff."

Jounouchi blinked. _Huh...kinda like Seto and Noa possibly be a clone? Naw; that stuff's fer stupid comic book plots. _

Mokuba glanced over at Jounouchi. "You're worried about me, aren't you?"

Jounouchi nodded. "Of course I am, kiddo. I mean, I understand what yer goin' through. It sucks bein' separated from a brother, or a sister."

Mokuba looked up at Jounouchi. "Do you have any brothers or sisters?"

Jounouchi sighed wistfully as he reached into his back pocket, revealing a leather wallet. "As a matter o' fact, I do. Her name's Shizuka."

* * *

Amelda instantly reached for his holstered Desert Eagle handgun. "What are **you** doing here?" 

Noa smirked. "Isn't it obvious? I've come for him." He pointed at Seto.

"So; you faked vulnerability just to tail me, is that it?" Amelda assumed.

"No; I really was weakened...damn Seto actually managed to land a few blows. I simply came here because I knew that was where he would be."

Amelda shook his head; a smarmy grin on his face. "Regardless, you're not getting anywhere near him." He cocked the firearm, aiming it in front of Noa.

"You completely misunderstand. I'm not even carrying any weapons," Noa noted as he raised his arms and rotated once to prove to Amelda that he spoke the truth.

Amelda kept the gun aimed for Noa's chest. "That may be, but from my understanding you don't need a weapon to kill."

Noa raised a brow. "Really? Am I **that** deadly? I'm quite flattered, really...but I'm serious when I say that I have no intention of killing the boy. Yet. I actually have found a use for him."

"So? What would that be? A human training dummy?"

"Data," Noa replied bluntly.

Amelda narrowed his eyes as he raised a brow. "I don't get it."

"Seto is a genius when it comes to hacking computers. Although father had both Seto and myself learn this skill—and I hate that I have to admit this—Seto far outshines me. You see, what you don't know is that during our battle, Seto managed to mortally wound me by stabbing me through my abdomen here. I thought for sure that I was dead as a result.

"However, I managed to regain consciousness—I could still feel the pain from my wound, but it wasn't as severe as it was when it was initially inflicted. After I woke up again from when you knocked me out, I looked down and noticed that the injury was reduced to a mere cut—a non-threatening, just-stick-a-bandage-on-it-and-it'll-be-okay cut."

Amelda knitted his brows together. "Is that so? I know you mentioned something about being weakened, but an injury like that not only would have killed you, but there would be bloodstains on your clothing to prove it."

"That's the part that really confuses the hell out of me," Noa spat. "Especially when I looked down at it on my way here and saw that it had disappeared like nothing happened. Something is clearly amiss, and the only way I'm going to find out is if Seto comes with me." He rapidly approached the unconscious Seto, but Amelda quickly stood between the two, his gun still raised.

"So, explain to me that useful part again."

"Ah? Oh; right. I never managed to get around to that, what with my bad habit of digressing...you see, Seto's hacking talents will come to great use, because only he can access the information that I seek. I have neither the technological power nor know-how enough to find these answers."

Amelda narrowed his eyes. "And just where do you plan on starting your investigation?"

"To the one person who may have a clue to all of this: my father."

"Uh; I hate to break it to you, but he's dead," Amelda yawned.

"I know that, smart-ass—after all, it Seto had killed him. What I mean is that I plan to investigate his records." Noa once again tried to approach Seto.

"Nuh-uh," Amelda warned as he pressed the nozzle of the handgun to Noa's chest. "How about you let me worry about the investigating, hrm? You can just get the hell out, or else I'll put a lead fragment into your chest—and I know you can't walk away from that one."

Noa smirked at Amelda's remark. Suddenly, he grasped the red-head foreigner's wrist, forcing him to aim the gun away from his chest.

"I think I'm done trying to be nice, since it's getting me absolutely nowhere," Noa decided as Amelda stared at his own arm, his expression twisting from the pain as Noa increased the pressure on his grip.

"We can't fight here!" Amelda quickly exclaimed. "Mokuba..."

"He's here?" Noa smiled. "Then perhaps I have some incentive to all this."

Amelda grimaced as Noa continued to strengthen his grip. _At the rate he's going, he's going to break my arm!_

Immediately Amelda recalled the appropriate maneuver that would get him out of the hold. He jerked his knee up as high and quickly as he possibly could, successfully slamming it onto the bottom of Noa's chin and forcing the aggressor to release his grip on Amelda.

"Like I said; we can't fight here. But I swear to God if you go near that child, I will do whatever it takes to keep you from getting near him." Amelda fixed his gun on Noa once again.

Noa growled as he wiped the blood away from his lips. "Ironic statement coming from the person that kidnapped him and almost accidentally killed him."

"Tch! You're the religious nut, right? This would be filed under 'atonement', correct?" Amelda smiled deviously.

Noa finally displayed his sadistic smile. "That would be true, though you have a very long way to go before you can even begin to redeem yourself."

"Hey—I know what I've done, but remember—what some may consider 'evil' may be considered to be 'right' by others. Don't think you're the only one with a little faith under his belt." Amelda reached into his tank top and pulled out a small golden crucifix that was in the center of a chain.

"So you think flashing that symbol means that you're still a good man? Don't give me that load of bull." Noa drawled.

"Well; haven't you killed as well?"

Noa crossed his arms across his chest. "Of course. But these were targets that were corrupt and harmful towards the good of others."

Amelda raised a brow. "'Targets'? So, you were an assassin?"

Noa sneered. "I was a justifier."

"Oh; so it's okay so long as it's not referred to by the 'a word'. Tell me, whom did you serve? Or are you one of those fanatics that ignorantly claim that it is their God's will that they murder, rather than take responsibility for their own actions so you can sleep at night?"

Noa heaved an exasperated breath. "If you must know, it was my own father that gave me these assignments."

Amelda blinked. "Your father? Gozaburo Kaiba? Oh yes; the 'father' of Seto and Mokuba. Hrm...you really did what he told you to do, didn't you?"

"Of course. He was an excellent father; I regard him with the utmost respect." Noa narrowed his eyes. "There's something else. You're not as clueless as you let on earlier. What is it that you know?"

"Ah; just another of my little secrets," Amelda taunted as he holstered his gun. "Despite your undying love for your father, you contradict yourself by wanting to find his records—where's the trust, hrm?"

"You will watch what you say when you speak of my father," Noa warned. "Tell me what you know!"

"_Shh_, indoor voices, Noa...I'll tell you, but only under one condition," Amelda rasped.

"If that condition is for me to leave without Seto, you can just forget about it," Noa warned. "I don't do easy games."

Amelda shook his head. "No, no. All you have to do is take my gun from me. You do that, and I'll tell you what I know. And believe me, it's not as easy as it sounds."

* * *

**AUTHOR'S COMMENTS**

Hey y'all! I decided to take a week off from updating CONTRAST: BLUE as I felt I needed a break—I was a tad burnt out, plus I had a birthday (it was August 20, for those not in the know), and I had a hard time writing this chapter to boot. But I'm back and writing. thumbs up

This episode focuses on several things. First off, Noa is indeed alive—he didn't die after all in the end of Episode 23. However, with this revelation, he is now seeking to investigate why he survived, and the only person that could possibly know is the one person he's try to kill, Seto Kaiba. Seto, in the meanwhile, is in his subconscious, meeting face-to-face with that voice that he's heard in his head—his Inner Child. What could the Inner Child's purpose be? And Seto believes he has killed before—could he do so again?

Meanwhile, Seto's irresponsible actions have Mokuba rather miffed at his elder brother, while Jounouchi plays damage control. However, he may be doing more than keeping an eye on Mokuba if Noa makes it past Amelda. Could his knowledge of Seto's dark secret, the "Nightmare" possibly solve this conflict, or create a new one? Only time will tell here.

**REFERENCES**

Seto's Inner Child: For those familiar with the manga, you may recall at the very end of DEATH-T and Duelist Kingdom of a child version of Seto with his soul puzzle. With Death-T (vol. 5), the child is shown putting the pieces back together, and in Duelist Kingdom(vol. 15), we see him leading Seto out of Pegasus' prison and helps him reunite with Mokuba, and we then see him with the completed puzzle before disappearing. I have decided to make him Seto's Inner Child; he's the voice that you heard in Seto's head in past chapters.

Metal Gear Solid: I was bound to throw in references to this game eventually—I originally wanted to do so when Noa first introduced himself to Seto, with the famouse quote "I'm you! I'm your shadow!" MGS is the property of Konami.

Jounouchi's line "_Naw; that [clone] stuff's fer stupid comic book plots." _is a reference to the infamous Spider-Man Clone Saga that occurred in the comics, in which it was revealed that Peter Parker was really just a clone of Ben Reilly, who was the one true Spider-Man. Spider-Man is the property of Marvel Comics.


End file.
